Running Out of Air
I open my mouth and pant, longing for your commands. (Ps. 119:131)
Expanded Passage: Psalm 119:129-136
The finish line is in sight. I make a final effort, wanting to finish the race and finish it strong—at the top of what speed I have left. Revving to a sprint, I come between the gates lining the final stretch. Halfway down that last section, however, I run out of air. My chest is tight and my gasping mouth open, struggling to drag in each breath. I need air!
Running in that community race, I knew what it felt like to pant, open-mouthed, longing for air. The psalmist echoed this desperate physical need, longing instead for God’s commands. While oxygen is necessary to run a physical race, God’s Word is just as necessary for our race of faith. If we cannot breathe in enough air, we cannot run. If we do not take in enough of God’s Word, we cannot pursue our race of faith effectively.
God’s Word is the life-breath of our faith. When we are gasping for hope and guidance, we must turn to the Bible, panting for God’s commands, his promises, his story, and his very character that are contained within. Without God’s Word to fuel us, we cannot finish the race of faith strong. We need to pant for it as desperately and longingly as runners panting for air as they sprint toward that finish line.
Breathe deeply of God’s Word.
Emma Dainty is a Houghton University (NY) senior who loves reading, birding, and deep conversations about books.
© 2026 Wesleyan Publishing House. Reprinted from Light from the Word. Used by permission. Scriptures taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®.
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