The wind; a musing

Our house sits in a wind tunnel. A bluff stands to the east of our neighborhood, and rising to the west are the foothills of Pike’s Peak. About a day before any new storm comes in, the wind whips through our street, carrying bags, rugs, and garbage cans along its path. A little boy on our street calls the moaning, “the cows in the trees.”

When the wind begins to moan, I have a fear reaction. I don’t know what I’m actually afraid of: The house blowing away like in the Wizard of Oz? No. Something in the yard blowing into the neighbors yard? Maybe. The fence falling down. Probably. But those things do not justify the amount of fear I feel at the sound of the wind rattling the windows.

It seems so wild, so uncontrollable, so inescapable.

The Bible talks about wind in many different ways.

God sent a wind to recede the waters of the flood.
Genesis 8:1 (NIV), “But God remembered Noah and all the wild animals and the livestock that were with him in the ark, and he sent a wind over the earth, and the waters receded.”

The wind brought the locusts to Egypt.
Exodus 10:13 (NIV) “So Moses stretched out his staff over Egypt, and the LORD made an east wind blow across the land all that day and all that night. By morning the wind had brought the locusts;”

Then it took them away again.
Exodus 10:19 “And the LORD changed the wind to a very strong west wind, which caught up the locusts and carried them into the Red Sea. Not a locust was left anywhere in Egypt.”

The wind described famine…
Genesis 41:27 (NIV) The seven lean, ugly cows that came up afterward are seven years, and so are the seven worthless heads of grain scorched by the east wind: They are seven years of famine.

…and brought food.
Numbers 11:31 (NIV) Now a wind went out from the LORD and drove quail in from the sea. It brought them down all around the camp to about three feet above the ground, as far as a day's walk in any direction.

It brought judgement
Job 1:19 (NIV) “when suddenly a mighty wind swept in from the desert and struck the four corners of the house. It collapsed on them and they are dead, and I am the only one who has escaped to tell you!"

and insight into God’s character.
1 Kings 19:11-13 (NIV) 11 The LORD said, "Go out and stand on the mountain in the presence of the LORD, for the LORD is about to pass by." Then a great and powerful wind tore the mountains apart and shattered the rocks before the LORD, but the LORD was not in the wind. After the wind there was an earthquake, but the LORD was not in the earthquake. 12 After the earthquake came a fire, but the LORD was not in the fire. And after the fire came a gentle whisper. 13 When Elijah heard it, he pulled his cloak over his face and went out and stood at the mouth of the cave. Then a voice said to him, "What are you doing here, Elijah?"

Wind cannot be caught.
Ecclesiastes 1:14 (NIV) I have seen all the things that are done under the sun; all of them are meaningless, a chasing after the wind.



The wind can destroy.
Matthew 7:25 (NIV) The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house; yet it did not fall, because it had its foundation on the rock.

The wind truly tests our faith..
Matthew 8:26 (NIV) He replied, "You of little faith, why are you so afraid?" Then he got up and rebuked the winds and the waves, and it was completely calm.

Ephesians 4:14 (NIV) Then we will no longer be infants, tossed back and forth by the waves, and blown here and there by every wind of teaching and by the cunning and craftiness of men in their deceitful scheming.

James 1:6 (NIV) But when he asks, he must believe and not doubt, because he who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind.
It was the wind that made Peter afraid and begin to sink.

Matthew 14:30 (NIV) Then Peter got down out of the boat, walked on the water and came toward Jesus. But when he saw the wind, he was afraid and, beginning to sink, cried out, "Lord, save me!"

It can represent temporality.
Hebrews 1:6-8 (NIV) 6And again, when God brings his firstborn into the world, he says, "Let all God's angels worship him."[a] 7In speaking of the angels he says,"He makes his angels winds, his servants flames of fire."[b] 8But about the Son he says, "Your throne, O God, will last for ever and ever, and righteousness will be the scepter of your kingdom.

Jesus told Nicodemus:
John 3:8 (NIV) The wind blows wherever it pleases. You hear its sound, but you cannot tell where it comes from or where it is going. So it is with everyone born of the Spirit."

The wind came at Pentecost
Acts 2:2 (NIV) Suddenly a sound like the blowing of a violent wind came from heaven and filled the whole house where they were sitting.

So what can we learn from all these references to wind? Surely it is a powerful force that can be used by God to bring curses or blessing. It can be frightening, but it is always under the control of the Creator. Maybe these thoughts will calm my fears when the cows moo in the trees and my windows bang. If not, at least I know that my Savior can calm the wind outside and in my own soul if I ask Him to.

But along with the comfort, it also brings to me a challenge. Am I willing to let the wind of God's Spirit into my life? Our strong, unpredictable God will not leave me unchanged after he has come through. Am I ready?

A prayer for my household

Dear Lord,

Thank you so much for all your blessings. We are so thankful for each other and the unique way you put us together individually. We are also amazed at the special blend of personalities that make up our family.

Please draw us close to you. Give us hearts that look to you in the midst of difficult times. Help us to turn our eyes to you when pain, frustration and fear want to stare us in the face. Help us to be honest with you, and to listen to what you are saying to us. Give us hearts to listen and wills to obey.

Lord, give us peace in our home—within ourselves as well as with each other. Let a steadfast peace between us and you be reflected in our relationships together.

Give us a deep and lasting joy that is unshakable.

Protect us God—not only from the affects of the evil in our world, but also from our hearts being captured by what looks good in the world—power, influence, riches, significance, and success.

May our lives bring you glory.

In Jesus name,

Amen

(Mindy Hirst)

To pray for your household go to www.hcjbglobal.org/myprayer

Friendship

As Valentine's Day approaches, I thought that friendship would be something good to think about, and who better to start our thinking than C.S. Lewis?

"Friendship is unnecessary, like philosophy, like art... It has no survival value; rather it is one of those things that give value to survival." C. S. Lewis

The love of friendship is optional. Nothing forces friendship upon you. It is an investment we make that enhances our lives. It feels good to be a friend and to be befriended. It makes life beautiful to have someone to share life with.

"Eros will have naked bodies; Friendship naked personalities." C. S. Lewis

The love of friendship is intimate. So often, our relationships fall short of friendship. We do not share our naked personalities, but cover them up with the clothes of the soul: friendliness, quips, and smiles make us more bearable to ourselves, and, we think to others. It's scary to show our true selves to others. We're scared we will be rejected. Friendship takes courage to overcome this fear.

"Affection is responsible for nine-tenths of whatever solid and durable happiness there is in our lives." C. S. Lewis

The love of friendship is rewarding. The investment and courage it requires brings indescribable rewards. The happiness we gain from true frienship is a gift. Perhaps friendship is the best Valentine of all--investment, courage and affection from one to another.