"The wind blows where it wishes and you hear the sound of it, but do not know where it comes from and where it is going; so is everyone who is born of the Spirit." (John 3:8)
There are reasons Jesus uses this descriptive analogy. If we are to find God we must do so through God's wind - His Holy Spirit. This God Story thread begins in Genesis 1:1,2 and completes in Revelation 22:17.
"In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. The earth was formless and void, and darkness was over the surface of the deep, and the Spirit of God was moving over the surface of the waters."
"The Spirit and the bride say, "Come." And let the one who hears say, "Come." And let the one who is thirsty come; let the one who wishes take the water of life without cost."
Between these two "bookends" the work of His Holy Spirit is seen in every word and every chapter of His God Story. Here are just a few things about the Spirit:
In Isaiah 11:2 we find that Jesus is the wisdom of God. "The Spirit of the Lord will rest on Him, the spirit of wisdom and understanding, the spirit of counsel and strength, The spirit of knowledge and the fear of the Lord."
In Matthew 3:11 (after we are told how Mary conceived Jesus in Matthew 1:18) John the Baptist explains how we will be impacted: "As for me, I baptize you with water for repentance, but He who is coming after me is mightier than I, and I am not fit to remove His sandals; He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire."
When Jesus speaks with the Jewish leader Nicodemus He blows his mind:
"Now there was a man of the Pharisees, named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews; this man came to Jesus by night and said to Him, "Rabbi, we know that You have come from God as a teacher; for no one can do these signs that You do unless God is with him." Jesus answered and said to him, "Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born again he cannot see the kingdom of God."
Nicodemus said to Him, "How can a man be born when he is old? He cannot enter a second time into his mother's womb and be born, can he?" Jesus answered, "Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit he cannot enter into the kingdom of God. That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. Do not be amazed that I said to you, 'You must be born again.' The wind blows where it wishes and you hear the sound of it, but do not know where it comes from and where it is going; so is everyone who is born of the Spirit."
Nicodemus said to Him, "How can these things be?" Jesus answered and said to him, "Are you the teacher of Israel and do not understand these things?" John 3:1-10
Amazing.
You may wish to acquaint yourself well with chapter 5 of the book of Revelation regarding "the wind." "I saw in the right hand of Him who sat on the throne a book written inside and on the back, sealed up with seven seals. And I saw a strong angel proclaiming with a loud voice, "Who is worthy to open the book and to break its seals?" And no one in heaven or on the earth or under the earth was able to open the book or to look into it. Then I began to weep greatly because no one was found worthy to open the book or to look into it; and one of the elders said to me, "Stop weeping; behold, the Lion that is from the tribe of Judah, the Root of David, has overcome so as to open the book and its seven seals."
Consider:
√ The Spirit of God was there when Jesus was conceived.
√ The Spirit was upon Him when He was teaching in the temple at age twelve.
√ The Spirit led Jesus into the wilderness to be tempted.
√ Jesus gave the Spirit to His followers (and the world) at Pentecost (Acts 1)
When you and I have our eyes opened through Jesus it by the Spirit of grace:
"If you love Me, you will keep My commandments. I will ask the Father, and He will give you another Helper, that He may be with you forever; that is the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it does not see Him or know Him, but you know Him because He abides with you and will be in you. I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you." John 14:15-18
Does this make sense to you? Is this how you are learning to live?
Singing the Song of the Wind with you,
Dave and Burnadette
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