As The Spirit Moves

Driving down the road recently, the bits of snow started to swirl in the wind and blow across the road. The swirling was mesmerizing and almost looked like white cap waves on a lake.

I was reminded that often people say we can't "see" God. I'm sure many have even used a wind analogy to try and explain it. We can't see the wind either, but we can feel it and we know it is there.

However, on that particular day, the thought crossed my mind that we don't often see (or appreciate the full force of) wind, and dare I say, the spirit of God ..... until it moves. Something gets picked up in the flow of the wind: leaves, rain, snow and then, then we see what only moments ago we may not have even felt.

Then there are the days we may not be sure that God is in the background or even paying attention to what is happening in our little busy, sometimes overwhelming world. But then....you get a call, email or text from a friend just when you need one, something just happens to fall into place, or we receive an answer to a prayer that wasn't even put into thoughts or words yet. Something moved and then we get a glimpse and are reminded (if we choose to be) that we do not have to do this busy, sometimes overwhelming world by ourselves.

The wind can be very gentle or have great power.  If you lean back on a really windy day, the wind can feel like it is holding you up or pushing you back or reminding us it's time to go in the house (or in the basement!).

The spirit of God can be gentle or have great power. If you lean into it on a really cruddy day when feelings overwhelm and darkness feels like it is creeping in, it is possible to be held up and reminded (again) that we don't have to do life on our own. Sometimes it will be from someone that gets blown across your path at just the right time.

So, how do we better tune in to get more of that spirit moving? The best ways I've found is to actually allow quiet times frequently during the week. Time without TV, radio or computer. Reading the Bible and/or a good devotional book can help. Write in a journal. Pray. Praise music. A conversation with a friend. Making sure we take time to listen when someone needs to talk....because sometimes that is us getting to assist on a spirit moving for someone else.

If we truly look with our eyes and heart fully open knowing that sometimes it will NOT look like what we think it should look like, we will see. The wind...and the spirit moving.

1 Corinthians 2:9 (NIV)
However, as it is written:
“What no eye has seen,
what no ear has heard,
and what no human mind has conceived”
the things God has prepared for those who love him—

Galatians 5:22 (NLT) But the Holy Spirit produces this kind of fruit in our lives: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness, and self-control. 

Father, Son and ........

I have never really given a lot of thought to the Holy Spirit. I know it is part of the trinity and the triune God. I looked up some information and Bible verses which show the Holy Spirit is powerful and a gift. The Holy Spirit was a promised gift given at Pentecost. Pentecost is 50 days (7 Sundays) after Easter. I have overlooked the importance of the Holy Spirit in today's world.

Sometimes God is compared to the wind. We can't see the wind, but we know it is there and we feel the power. The way the Spirit was given is powerful:

Acts 2:1-4 The Holy Spirit Comes at Pentecost (NIV) 1 When the day of Pentecost came, they were all together in one place. 2 Suddenly a sound like the blowing of a violent wind came from heaven and filled the whole house where they were sitting. 3 They saw what seemed to be tongues of fire that separated and came to rest on each of them. 4 All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit enabled them.

God still wants to give us the power of the Holy Spirit.

Romans 15:13 (NIV) 13 May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.

God wants us to keep the Spirit working in our lives and let it help us persevere (I'm beginning to really like that word persevere) through bad news, pain, rising gas prices and concerns.

Jude 1:17-20 (NIV) A call to persevere 17 But, dear friends, remember what the apostles of our Lord Jesus Christ foretold. 18 They said to you, "In the last times there will be scoffers who will follow their own ungodly desires." 19 These are the men who divide you, who follow mere natural instincts and do not have the Spirit.
20 But you, dear friends, build yourselves up in your most holy faith and pray in the Holy Spirit. 21 Keep yourselves in God's love as you wait for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ to bring you to eternal life.

Since we are mind, body and spirit, I believe we communicate more with the Holy Spirit than we realize.

Romans 8:26-27 (NIV) 26 In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groans that words cannot express. 27 And he who searches our hearts knows the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for the saints in accordance with God's will.

May we truly appreciate the gift that God gave us by providing the Holy Spirit. May we be more willing to keep moving our faith forward and use all the help God has already given us. May we get over the fear of letting others know how much they are missing when they are not fully relying on the Father, Son and Holy Spirit.