“Those who are led by the Spirit of God are sons of God.” (Rom 8:14 NIV)
Our last camp, near Bonavista, Newfoundland, stood on the site of an old farm. It offered 165 acres of land for our perusal, and the scenery was unbelievable. To our right was a beautiful lake, the Atlantic Ocean could be seen on our left, and in between were flower-strewn meadows and tamarack and cedar forests.
During our entire Newfoundland trip, my wife made it a habit (except when it rained, which, praise God, wasn’t often!) of going for a morning walk. For some reason, while we camped in Bonavista I felt compelled to go with her. As we stood together that morning on the shore of the lake, a soft breeze blew over the water. Immediately, I felt the presence of the Lord, and the words of John 3:8 came to my mind: John 3:8 “The wind blows wherever it pleases. You hear its sound, but you cannot tell where it comes from or where it is going. So it is with everyone born of the Spirit.” NIV
“Look at the lake,” God impressed upon my mind. “Watch the effects of the gentle breeze.”
I looked, and I saw that the ripples on the water all rolled in the same direction as the wind. Then I noticed the reeds. They all bent in the same direction, swaying together on the breeze.
“So it is with all my children who are led by my Spirit… Look now at all the wild flowers surrounding you.”
I looked, and I noticed everything looked dull. Even the flowers, though they were in full bloom. Why?
“Look now at what will happen to them.”
At that moment, the sun peered out from a bank of cloud to the east, casting its pink and golden rays over the meadows. Instantly, a transformation happened around me: the flowers came alive. Wow!
“Only when my children keep themselves graced by divine guidance will they be truly themselves. Then others will notice how vibrantly colorful my people are.”
It was a couple of days later that God gave me part two of this message. We were visiting Signal Hill, in St. Johns. This is typically a very “gusty” place, with winds often in excess of 200km/hr*, and as I was hiking out onto the point, a gust of wind nearly swept me over the precipice. In trying to catch myself, I fell down and skinned my knees.
When we, as God’s children, go out by ourselves, without divine guidance or protection, we, also, are at the mercy of the elements. Though the prince of this world was defeated 2000 years ago, he isn’t too gentle with God’s children! Strange that we forgot that fact so easily! Paul tells us: Eph 4:14-15 “Then we will no longer be infants, tossed back and forth by the waves, and blown here and there by every wind of teaching and by the cunning and craftiness of men in their deceitful scheming. Instead, speaking the truth in love, we will in all things grow up into him who is the Head, that is, Christ.” NIV
The only way to truly be ourselves is to remain in the light provided by God Himself.
Which wind is blowing in your direction? Is it a wind whose purpose is to catch you off your guard and push you over the cliff? Or is it a gentle breeze, which wants to turn your life into a colorful experience? Don’t witlessly resist the gentle wind. It has your best benefit in mind.
* South of the Codroy Valley in Southwestern Newfoundland, there is a windy place called “The Wreckhouse”. At the time that trains were running in that area, a man named Lauchie McDougal was hired with the sole job description of warning trains of high velocity wind from Table Mountain. Why was it so important? Many trains found themselves derailed by those fierce gusts of wind! Even today, most truckers won’t venture in that area when the wind is picking up velocity.
Rob Chaffart