One of the distinctive things about our pavilion here at the church is the regular breeze, (or stronger!) that blows through it. That can be a challenge with microphones and sheet music when we are worshiping outside, but it is something very welcome in the heat of a summer day. Even if it tosses a few plates around at meals, a stirring of the air is often very welcome. You only have to enter a car heated by the sun of the past few days to be reminded of that!
And of course, as we enter into May and recognize that we are only a few weeks away from Pentecost, we are reminded that the wind has another signifier for us as Christians. The Hebrew word for “wind” is the same word as “breath’ or “Spirit.” The wind oxygenates our blood, refreshes our lungs, and is essential for all life created by God, including the life abundant which Jesus taught about.
This is something that I thought about as I walked out to the mailbox in front of the church building this morning. I noticed the hundreds of dandelions that had popped up their stems to elevate their parachuted seeds. I know that some people don’t like dandelions, but I confess that I love them! I love how prolific and generous they are! They are one of the first earlier food sources reliably available for honeybees to collect from in the spring. Their spring leaves have long been collected for spring salads. A retired minister once shared with me his favorite potato salad with dandelion leaves added for flavor. Their bright yellow color easily adds some sunshine to lawns and kids alike! But one of my favorite things about dandelions is the way those seeds respond to a puff of wind. Just a breath, and off they go!
It really is something to think about as we approach Pentecost. How do we respond to God’s breath? When the Spirit whispers, are we eager to leap forward? Do we prepare like the dandelion seed does, spreading out its parachute, anticipating the coming breeze? Or do we prefer to hold tight, to judge for ourselves when the time is right to plant the seed?
I want to invite us to spread out our wings this spring. As we have been studying how Jesus equipped the disciples to “Unlock Heaven” in worship, I want to invite us to study how the Holy Spirit worked in the lives of the disciples after Jesus’ ascension. I will be hosting an evening Bible Study focusing in the book of Acts through the lens of the “Wind and Word.” We will meet on Tuesday evening at 7PM, starting June 8, and will keep the study to under an hour. This will be an informal study, and you are welcome to come even if you cannot make it every evening. I hope you will make an effort to come, and invite your neighbors too. The Spirit of God is one of Jesus’ greatest promises to us, and it is well worth our effort to prepare ourselves for its moving.
Pastor Daniel <><