“ . . .There was a sound like a strong wind, gale force – no one could tell where it came from. It filled the whole building. Then, like a wildfire, the Holy Spirit spread . . .
“ Acts 2:2-4 (The Message)
Mark and I went out yesterday afternoon to do a few errands. It was a cold day in Kansas with a stiff breeze – one of those blustery days on which you wonder why you even left the sanctuary and warmth of your house. But, we were spending time together and that is always great. One of the things I love the most about spending time with Mark is that our conversation often turns to God and the way He works in our lives. I treasure those discussions.
Mark was talking about the wind and how it is used to illustrate the Holy Spirit. I am almost certain that I have read this or heard this before in sermons or from previous discussions Mark and I have had about it. But suddenly the word pictures he was painting made very real to me what the Holy Spirit is and how it works in my life. I love it when I finally get things!!!!
The wind is obviously something we cannot see, but we feel the tangible effects of it. We can feel the wind on our faces cooling us on a hot summer day, or causing us to quicken our step in the cold of winter. It can be soft and gentle as the soft rustling of leaves in the breeze, or strong and momentous as the deafening, roaring wind of a tornado or hurricane. The word “spirit” means “breath” or “wind” in both Hebrew and Greek. Both a breath of air and wind are images for the Holy Spirit.
Mark was talking about the wind and how it is used to illustrate the Holy Spirit. I am almost certain that I have read this or heard this before in sermons or from previous discussions Mark and I have had about it. But suddenly the word pictures he was painting made very real to me what the Holy Spirit is and how it works in my life. I love it when I finally get things!!!!
The wind is obviously something we cannot see, but we feel the tangible effects of it. We can feel the wind on our faces cooling us on a hot summer day, or causing us to quicken our step in the cold of winter. It can be soft and gentle as the soft rustling of leaves in the breeze, or strong and momentous as the deafening, roaring wind of a tornado or hurricane. The word “spirit” means “breath” or “wind” in both Hebrew and Greek. Both a breath of air and wind are images for the Holy Spirit.
I think I finally have a clearer understanding of how the Holy Spirit works in me. It is much like the invisible wind and is the real evidence of God at work in my life. As with the wind, I can’t see the Holy Spirit’s presence, but I am made aware of it because of the effect it has on me. The Holy Spirit speaking to me may be the peace that settles over me like the gentleness of that summer breeze, or it may be the bumpy ride I am experiencing through the storms of life. It is up to me to study God’s word and spend time in my relationship with Him to learn what the “Wind” is telling me and how I should respond. When I try to fight the wind, it doesn’t work. I never win the battle, as evidenced by how things are going in my life. I cannot control the winds in nature and I certainly cannot control the wind of the Holy Spirit. But when I take the time to study, pray, and listen - the benefit to me is that the wind of the Holy Spirit is constantly guiding, directing, and working in me, so that what I do and the way I live is what God wants. Through the peace as well as through the storms of life, I want to make sure that I am listening attentively to what the Wind is whispering to me.
