I slipped my feet into grey satin slippers, drew on a light robe and headed toward the coffee pot. The living room through which I moved was swathed in still gentle light. It was morning, just past dawn.
While still on the bedroom side of the house, and having not fully emerged from that warm half-aware sleep consciousness, I thought I had heard non-belonging noises. Now, distinctly, from the upper area of the house, came a loud clunking. I looked to the high windows and saw the whip of trees.
Sidestepping my pre-set march to the coffee pot, I went to the living room slider and drew open the blinds. Every tree, including our largest oak, was turning and bending. A storm system had moved into our village.
From the refrigerator I drew a decanter of filtered water, measured the coffee and set the pot to brew. The overhead clank persisted, so I climbed the stairs, found a heavy shade thrusting side to side and closed a couple of windows that silenced the noise.
Downstairs, I poured a coffee, emptied in a blue sleeve of sweetener and carried my cup to a favored chair that gave to a broad sweep of window. The trees continued their wind orchestrated dance.
I sat long and thought deeply of wind. I considered at length its characteristics and its power. I anchored my mind to the astonishing words of Jesus, my Lord. I listened to the wind howling in my trees, and I listened to the voice of God as He spoke of wind.
“The wind bloweth where it listeth, and thou hearest the sound thereof, but canst not tell whence it cometh, and whither it goeth; so is every one that is born of the Spirit.” John 3:8
Spoken to Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews, who had come by night to speak with Jesus, these rank with the most profound words ever written. As invisible as is the wind, Jesus was saying, as unknowable, as powerful, …so is a life in the Spirit, so is every one that is born of the Holy Ghost.
Poor Nicodemus. He just did not get it. “You must be born again,” Jesus had told him.
“Uh, Jesus, did you say born again? You mean, somehow get back inside my mother and come out again?” I can see Nicodemus wrinkle his forehead into a question. “Is that what you mean, Jesus?”
I wonder if a wisp of smile flickered over the face of jesus. Perhaps He laid a hand on the shoulder of Nicodemus. “No, my friend. Not that way. Not a physical rebirth. We’re talking Spirit here, Nicodemus. That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit.
It was at this point in the conversation when Jesus spoke those magnificent words concerning wind; He tried to explain the abundant life to Nicodemus. It’s unfathomable, my dear man. You hear sounds, but can’t quite make them out. You see the leaves flutter and the trees whip and you know something is causing that, but you can’t grasp it, can’t hold it, can’t quite analyze it. You know the power, see the results, see the workings, the miracles, the provisions…but you just cannot fathom the source.
Listen to the words of Paul as he wrote to the Roman church of just such things.
“O the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! how unsearchable are his judgments, and his ways past finding out! For who hath known the mind of the Lord? …” 3:33-34
Isn’t that a wonderful scripture. Isn’t it beautiful. God is unsearchable, never fully knowable; His ways we just cannot completely understand. What a God! What a mighty God!
And so, I sat this morning and watched one of the most powerful forces known to man–the wind. I tried to see, tried to know it, tried to understand it. I watched the trees bend and heard the howl, but could not see that mighty thrusting force. And so it is with God and His great Spirit…it blows where it will…we hear a sound, but cannot fully comprehend.
I suspect my forehead frequently wrinkles, and I hope God frequently smiles when He sees my questions. I think occasionally I may feel His hand on my shoulder.
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My other blog is here.
What a lovely post! You drew me in with your words and I felt as if I were there.
And yes, we do serve a mighty and often mysterious God.
Thank you for the beautiful words, they made my day.
Caroline
Beautiful, thoughtful, and meaningful post. Thank you.
Good afternoon, Caroline and Helen–
Thanks for joining me in loving God’s Word and His everlasting truths.
Well, I was going to say “beautiful”, or “lovely” but I see they’ve already been said.
So then, how about profound? I often think of Jesus’ analogies of the Holy Spirit with water, but not so often of wind, yet how apt. Thanks for an uplifting read.
Cindy
Great post, Sister Buxton. What a great God we serve!
Sis Shirley,
I love how you presented this. Yes I think Jesus did give a faint smile to Nicodemus. And he used something he created to make an analogy to a hungry soul. Thank you.
Mary
A great post! I often get caught away in amazement at the wonders of God. He is so awesome like you have brought to us so vividly with your thoughts of the wind!
Welcome All!
Cind-, guess which letter on this computer does not work sometime….profound is the right choice for God’s exciting word.
Carol, He is indeed great! No one like Jesus.
Mar-,Thanks for the compliments and for adding -our comments. Hope -ou visit often.
Keven, He is trul- an amazing God!
Good Morning Sis. Buxton, I just got up and was reading this post. I could smell the coffee brewing. Then I climbed the stairs with you and felt the pain in my knee as I climbed those stairs. Your writing has a way of making one feel as though they are right there with you every step of the way. Thanks for the pain in the knee LOL
I was there with you through the rest of this post. I got so caught up in it that I could actually feel the wind blowing. Then I realized I had the fan on behind me. Sorry, I just got carried away with your post. You have a way of making it come so alive.
So well written and it made me feel as though the Lord was right here in the room with me. I even imagined Him with a wisp of a smile on His face and then I even thought I felt the slightest touch of His hand upon my shoulder. Maybe it was. Maybe He was asking me to come spend some time with Him now, so I think I will.
Later, Sis Buxton and thank you for this beautiful post.
God has given you a gift of writing devotions. I love reading them. I don’t have that ability and though I try I think it makes me appreciate those who have it even more.
I’ll keep visiting your blogs.