Windy

"The wind blows where it wishes, and you hear the sound of it, but cannot tell where it comes from and where it goes. So is everyone who is born of the Spirit.” - John 3:8

It was really windy Wednesday morning by us. We live in a pine tree plantation with many tall, swaying red pines. When the wind blows, we knows! As Jesus was saying to Nicodemus, we "hear the sound of it."

The wind itself is invisible to our eyes. We can see its effect on our trees, we can feel it when it pushes against us as we walk or drive our car, but we cannot see it.

It has been said that The Holy Spirit is living in those who believe in Jesus. We cannot see Him either, but we CAN see, and feel, the evidence of it. And just like the wind, He affects us and directs us.

A sailor uses the wind to get his boat to where he wants to go. He uses signs to determine its direction and steers accordingly. We can do the same thing with the Holy Spirit. We read the Bible to learn God's will. God causes events in our lives to encourage us along the right path.

"I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go; I will counsel you with my eye upon you." - Proverbs 32:8

God created each of us differently, with different gifts and abilities. He puts us through trials to refine us into a highly personal, human extension of His unconditional love, all for His glory. It's amazing.

Look at Joseph. His brothers sold him into slavery down in Egypt. That was a bad day for Joseph. Imagine your own family, not only disowning you, but profiting off it.

But God . . . and Joseph.

"You meant evil against me, but God meant it for good, to bring it about that many people should be kept alive, as they are today." - Genesis 50:20

Never underestimate God's ability to "bring about" good through a bad situation. Remember what Jesus did on a really windy day with His boys in the boat.

"A furious squall came up, and the waves broke over the boat, so that it was nearly swamped. ³⁸Jesus was in the stern, sleeping on a cushion. The disciples woke him and said to him, “Teacher, don’t you care if we drown?”

³⁹He got up, rebuked the wind and said to the waves, “Quiet! Be still!” Then the wind died down and it was completely calm.

⁴⁰He said to his disciples, “Why are you so afraid? Do you still have no faith?” - Mark 4:37-40

Trust in The Lord!

"Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; ⁶in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight." - Proverbs 3:5-6