I was out yesterday for a quick walk.  I left the house later than I wanted, thus the heat of the day had begun to set in (a bit different day that the photo above… the photo is the type of weather that I LIKE to walk in :-)).  I took along Ginger – our 3-year-old Labradoodle – who desperately needs a summer shave.  She and I were huffing and puffing up a hill and out of no where this gust of wind hit us.  It was fabulous… it immediately cooled us and it sort of seemed to insulate us from the heat.  It was refreshing.  It made me think of the Holy Spirit.

I have always likened a gentle breeze and a wind gust to the Holy Spirit.  I think of it as the ever-present God that we serve.  I find it refreshing, renewing and an instant reminder that He is right there… at that very moment.

The interchangeable nature of spirit and wind appear in several places in the Bible.  One passage says,

…and the Spirit of God moved upon the waters. Genesis 1:2

The Hebrew word for Spirit is ruach.  Ruach can be translated spirit, wind or breeze depending on the context.

When the Spirit of the Lord shows up as a wind or a breeze… there is action at hand.   Genesis 1:2 (listed above)  is right before God created Light.  Exodus 15:8 describes a breath from the nostrils of God parting the Red Sea so that the Israelites could escape from the Egyptians.  Exodus 15:10 describes a breath from God making the waters to cover the Egyptians who were pursuing the Israelites.  Acts 2 reveals the arrival of the Holy Spirit upon the sound of a rushing, mighty wind… shortly after which tongues of fire descended on the 12 and they were filled with the Holy Spirit.  Luke 23:46 describes Jesus’ last words before his death and resurrection, ‘Father, into your hands, I commit my spirit’.

The Spirit is typified by the wind in that it is gentle; it is powerful; it is invisible (John 3:8); it is the “breath” of life itself.

Next time you are out an about and are hit with a gentle refreshing breeze or even a mighty gust… think about the nearness of God to you at that very point in time.  Allow it to remind you that He is there… knows your circumstances… your hurts… your fears.  Allow His presence to cover you.  Let it be a reminder that He is ready to act on your behalf!

It’s much like when you fast and a hunger pain focuses your mind on your creator.  The same goes for a breeze or gust.  Allow His power over nature and His omnipresence to consume & intercede (Romans 8:26), refresh (1 Cor. 6:19), guide (John 16:13) and protect (Eph 1:13-14) you.

God bless you on your walk today!

Looking for a gift to inspire?  Check out www.ChristianGiftsPlace.com.

Wilton, Connecticut

866.834.0356  or  203.834.0356

Follow us on Twitter

Be a Fan of ours on Facebook