Wednesday Wonder

Where is the Spirit blowing today?

Yesterday, there was a breeze that really seemed to cool things down. It got me thinking about the wind of God. We usually refer to it as the Holy Spirit. Although there was a brief discussion in one of the Bible study groups about the Holy Ghost, as we used to refer to the Spirit.

The wind or breath of God. ‘Ruach’ is a Hebrew word for breath, wind, spirit. It is the word used in the creation stories in Genesis when speaking of God’s creating act of giving life to all things.

During the summer, one of the pictures of Flat Jesus I received showed him ‘helping’ with the dishes. The caption that went along with the picture spoke of how ‘grandmother used to say she washed but God dried.’ Which meant the dishes were left in the rack to air dry. God’s breath was drying the dishes.

Where else do you see God’s breath, God’s spirit in your world? I will admit, God usually dries the dishes at my house. But, God’s spirit is visible in so many other ways and places.

It was that breeze which moved the leaves and cooled my skin yesterday. It is in the whispered words of a quiet conversation. It is in the huge sigh of resignation. It might also be in the huge sigh of boredom, but maybe that is just me. It is the breeze created by my grandson as he races past me in some game we are playing that only he knows the rules for.

God’s spirit is everywhere. Not always felt as a breeze or a wind, or maybe even a breath. Just as a presence, a glance of reassurance, a word of kindness, a melody, a prayer, a moment of quiet. Elijah learned that God is actually in the stillness, the sheer silence.

Not that silence is something we get much of in our world these days. When I was in my hometown last month, I realized just how noisy my world had become. In the dark of night, the quiet was almost full. Unlike here, there were no cars or neighbours to make any noise. No one was moving around. Complete quiet. God was speaking.

Whether on the breeze or in the quiet, do you listen? Do you hear what God is saying to you? You carry the breath and spirit of God within you. How are you sharing it out into the world? Even as you are touched by what others you encounter might share of it, you too are sharing the Spirit with others.

As fall becomes ever more a reality in the days and weeks to come, we can truly experience the breath of God. Wind blows through the trees, it carries the falling leaves in lovely dances before they make it to the ground.

Stop and remember: the Spirit is in you. When God’s breath infuses your life, you can share it with others.