Wind and fire are images often found in the scripturesas symbols of how God’s Spirit moves in our lives.
But wind and fire are ambiguous images:
each can be life-giving and each can be death-dealing.
• Wind is air on the move, the air we breathe.
But that same wind can twist itself
into a column of destruction and death.
• Fire gives us warmth, light and protection, it cooks our food.
But fire can rage, engulf, burn and consume whatever’s in its path.
In the Scriptures, the Holy Spirit comes like a strong driving wind -
not to destroy the dwelling where the disciples were gathered
but to fill it with the presence of God.
The Spirit comes and settles on the believers’ heads as tongues of fire -
but they aren’t burned – not even singed.
Rather, their hearts are inflamed with faith.
How about us?
When was the last time the wind of God’s Spirit,
the breath of the Spirit,
even a whisper of the Holy Spirit
moved in your heart or mine, in our thoughts, in our consciences,
urging us to respond, to speak, to move, to do, to act
- or perhaps urging us to sit still and keep our mouths shut?
