A Mighty Wind

In September of 1990, I saw the effects of a mighty wind as it came through my community, and I believe we were all in awe of its power. In just a few moments, huge trees were uprooted or broken like sticks, cars were moved, roofs were displaced, and homes were damaged. A we surveyed the results, we asked ourselves, "How can something we can't even see be so powerful?"

In God's word, the Holy Spirit is often represented as a mighty wind. Acts 2:2-4 says, "And when the day of Pentecost had come, they were all together in one place. And suddenly there came from heaven a noise like a violent rushing wind, and it filled the whole house where they were sitting. And there appeared to them tongues as of fire distributing themselves, and they rested on each one of them. And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak other tongues, as the Spirit was giving them utterance."

When we think of what the Holy Spirit can do in our lives, we easily see the comparison. Like the mighty wind snapped the trees, the Holy Spirit can break and uproot stubborn habits and attitudes in our lives that have been growing there so long and seem so invincible. Like the cars that were tossed about, the Holy Spirit can lift even the heaviest of burdens or move obstacles that distract us from doing God's will. Like the roofs that were peeled back, exposing the beams and items beneath them, the Holy Spirit can bring rushing winds through our hearts and reveal the foundations and contents of our beings.

Although they have changed their instructions in preparing for the mighty winds of a twister, the experts once told us to open the windows and lesson the resistence. Perhaps we should open the windows of our hearts that the Holy Spirit might do a mighty work in our lives!