Breathing in the Love of God

By Waters Davis 
Former President of National Christian Foundation Houston 

After studying the 1st chapter of Genesis, I have become enthralled by God’s ability to create. “In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth” (Genesis 1:1). Starting from nothing, God created all that we know by speaking it into existence.  Ultimately, this creation ability is the source of His power to create life as we know it today.   

First, God created all the aspects of the physical world we live in and then he filled the physical with life: birds in the air, fish in the sea, and animals and insects on the earth.  And the ultimate creation achievement was creating man and woman in His own image (Genesis 1:26-27).  Creating life from nothing is one of the most amazing attributes of God.  God gave mankind everything we needed to live in the physical world.  He surrounded us with oxygen in the air we breathe to sustain our physical life.  And our ability to breathe is fundamental to all aspects of our physical life.   

We know from Jesus’ baptism experience, God also created the Kingdom of God and gave us access to it on earth.  I love it when Jesus emerged from the water and proclaimed, “The Kingdom of God is at hand” (Mark 1:9-15, specifically verse 15).  Followers of Christ are given the opportunity to choose to live in and fully experience the Kingdom of God here on earth. But how do we do that well? 

We know from Genesis 1:2, that God was hovering over the earth in the early stages of the physical creation experience.  For me, everything in the Bible reinforces the idea that God continues to hover over each person on the earth showering us with an endless waterfall of His love. Just like breathing oxygen is fundamental to physical life, perhaps, by analogy, breathing in the love of God is fundamental to living in the Kingdom of God. 

We know our greatest commandments are to love God and love others (Matthew 22:37-40). And all of us have failed to that that well in our physical strength.  But, by breathing in the love of God throughout the day, our ability to love well is exponentially expanded.  We can love God and love others in a supernatural way through the power of being filled with the love of God.  In addition, the better we get at breathing in the love of God, the more we get to experience the Kingdom of God on earth and be set free from the attachments of the physical world. 

Freedom is the fruit and work of love.  

Paul writes, “But now faith, hope, love abide these three; but the greatest of these is love” (1 Corinthians 13:13). John says, “We love because He first loved us” (1 John 4:19) 

Salvation is not Jesus forgiving your sins so that you can live doing the best you can. Salvation is an invitation to a life of receiving God’s love through the forgiveness and cleansing of your sins.  

Maybe in 2026 instead of pressing in you can try breathing in. Breathing in God’s love and watching what He can create for you!