Hurricane Sandy North America , and we are feeling the effects of it with wind speed at 60 km to gusts of 100 km/hour. The trees are bending in the wind, branches swaying back and forth. The leaves have almost completely fallen off. Last night at about 7 pm I had to (to save gas) ride my bike down the road about a kilometer. As I was heading into the cold wind with my road bike, it was a struggle to move every meter, but then a gust would come and virtually stop me even though I tried to peddle. Of course, what took me 15 min. to get there, with a ‘brisk’ tail wind only took me two minutes to get home!
One of the reasons I love to ride my bicycle is the feel of the wind in my face. It always brings a smile to my face. Usually at some point of a longer journey, you might hear me singing cheerfully, “Wind in my hair, sand in my shoes, I’m hittin’ the highway, forgetting my blues…” There is a wind that blows in my life more often then when I ride my bike. He’s called the Holy Spirit and the reason many link Him to wind is because spirit in Hebrew and Greek means “breath” or “wind”. Both a breath of air and breeze are appropriate ‘pictures’ of the Spirit of God.
The wind blows where it wants to. You hear its sound, but you don't know where it comes from or where it is going. That's the way it is with everyone who is born of the Spirit." Jh. 3:8 ISV
1. Wind is powerful. No man can control it: stop it, turn it, increase it, decrease it, or change its direction in an open field. Man can harvest energy from it by utilizing technology, but man cannot create it (except for in small areas). So the Holy Spirit is not subject to human control. He ‘blows’ when and where He wants to!
2. Wind is moving air. It has its purposes like distributing seeds which fosters new life. There are many seeds that would perish without finding ground to grow in. As well, we need ‘fresh’ air to breathe in which ‘freshens’ our blood and organs. The Spirit also helps with new life: Jesus said “…Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God
3. Wind is invisible, without shape or form. We can’t see its source or its destination, only the effects it has on the environment. The Spirit is like this: we can’t see Him, but we can see the effects He has on our lives and the lives of those around us as we are being transformed and made alive.
4. Wind varies its performance. Sometimes it is soft and gentle, other times gusty and fierce. While soft it feels comforting and cooling in the heat, while other times can topple great things and make us shake (Mt. 11:7). The Spirit usually breathes gently in our lives wooing us to the Lord. Sometimes He is like a cold burst of air to wake us up. Other times He convicts and helps us convert by showing us the power and judgment of God.
The Holy Spirit is indispensable in my life. It is Him blowing in my life that keeps me moving and singing the praises of my great and mighty God. He blows life into this aching and tired body and helps me put my feet on the floor every morning to start moving. It is He who draws me closer to my God and makes me long to be with Him. The Holy Spirit is like the wind in my hair when I ride my bike- He truly helps me forget my blues!
Oh Lord,
send Your Holy Spirit to blow
on all Your children today
bringing us new life in You!