Tag: Wind

Wind

Published on by marycatherinethomasLeave a comment

“The wind blows south, and then turns north. Around and around it goes, blowing in circles.” Ecclesiastes 1:6 (NLT)

For the past 18 hours the wind has been set loose on the area surrounding our daughter’s home. The trees are bending and creaking. The flag hanging on their porch goes straight out one way and then to the other. It has not stopped flapping in the wind. The chair cushions had to be retrieved before they flew down the street. The porch rug is flapping and shifting away from it’s normal place. It is windy.

Along with the wind has come a cold snap. The wind makes the temperature feel colder. It is a winter’s day.

I have listened to the wind throughout the night and today.

“The wind blows wherever it wants. Just as you can hear the wind but can’t tell where it comes from or where it is going,” John 3:8a (NLT)

I love reading about wind in the Bible. I was reminded last night of the above scripture. I cannot tell which direction this wind is going. I see it whipping things and one direction and immediately it reverses itself. This is a powerful wind.

How often do we think we can know what nature does around us? Many times we say the damage from nature is an act of God. Technically it is, but what I have had on my heart is the story of Elijah. I Kings 19:11-13, ““Go out and stand before me on the mountain,” the Lord told him. And as Elijah stood there, the Lord passed by, and a mighty windstorm hit the mountain. It was such a terrible blast that the rocks were torn loose, but the Lord was not in the wind. After the wind there was an earthquake, but the Lord was not in the earthquake. 12 And after the earthquake there was a fire, but the Lord was not in the fire. And after the fire there was the sound of a gentle whisper. 13 When Elijah heard it, he wrapped his face in his cloak and went out and stood at the entrance of the cave. And a voice said, “What are you doing here, Elijah?” (NLT)

Elijah was a mighty man of God, but he was so human. I truly love to read about him. He did great things for God and then he hid and cowered and got depressed. I cannot wait to meet him.

We think many times that we will see God in the mighty and prominent things going on around us. We sometimes expect that we will hear the booming voice and lightening ramming the earth with a message attached to it from God. We pray and think that we will see immediate and jaw dropping miracles. When all God wants us to do is to be quiet before Him and hear the still small voice that asks us what we are doing?

Yes, I love to hear the wind rush by the house, shaking the windows and upsetting the dogs, but I yearn to be still enough to hear God whisper to me. I will know that I will have arrived when, instead of searching for the flamboyant expressions, I will hear and see the small cloud, the soft voice.

Promises

Published on by marycatherinethomasLeave a comment

“So shall My word be that goes forth from My mouth;
It shall not return to Me void,
But it shall accomplish what I please,
And it shall prosper in the thing for which I sent it.

12 “For you shall go out with joy,
And be led out with peace;
The mountains and the hills
Shall break forth into singing before you,
And all the trees of the field shall clap their hands.
13 Instead of the thorn shall come up the cypress tree,
And instead of the brier shall come up the myrtle tree;
And it shall be to the Lord for a name,
For an everlasting sign that shall not be cut off.” Isaiah 55:11-13 (NKJV)

God promises that His word will not return void. God’s promises are true and perfect. He will accomplish all that He says.

Today as I walked, the wind was blowing through the trees and I could hear the sound of the wind. I could feel the force of the wind helping me along with each step.

I looked into the woods surrounding our home, the trees were truly clapping their hands and the nearby mountains and our hills were singing in the wind.

God is powerful. He speaks to the wind and it sings back to Him. Praise His glorious name.

What’s Your Point of View?

Published on by marycatherinethomasLeave a comment

Today as I was walking there was a pleasant breeze and the temperature was actually mild. There was low humidity and it felt so great just to be outside and not stifled by the temperature.

As I got to the end of our driveway, I looked down our road, eyes to the sky. The sky was a brilliant blue with white puffy clouds. It was a beautiful sight, one that was hopeful for the weather and doing things outdoors.

As I did my circle to go the other way my eyes looked up our road and into the sky. There the clouds were dark and ominous. The grays were dark gray and there was no blue to see in that direction. Coming back down the driveway, the woods looked like it was late evening, with very little light passing through the trees.

Obviously, I noticed the difference and began to reflect on it. The breeze was stiff, but not to the point of being blustery, just a nice breeze to walk in. The breeze could just be an August breeze, or could it be the introduction of a storm about to hit?

So often in life we see and experience situations that are like the stiff breeze and the dark skies. Our first inclination when seeing these outdoors is to go inside. Go in before you are caught in a torrent of rain. Remove yourself from in-climate weather. Storms in life sometimes warrant us heading to safety and security. Other times storms make us withdraw from everyone, leaving us isolated and alone. “Two people are better off than one, for they can help each other succeed. 10 If one person falls, the other can reach out and help. But someone who falls alone is in real trouble.” Ecclesiastes 4:9-10 (NLT)

Likewise, when times for us are beautiful, with lots of blue skies, white clouds and promise we tend to think most others are feeling the same way. We feel at peace with God, with our lives and with our future. It is during those bright times in our lives where, I think, we need to be mindful of others. It is during those high points in our lives where we could look to others, being the encouraging word, or hug they may need. “Share each other’s burdens, and in this way obey the law of Christ.” Galatians 6:2 (NLT)

Sometimes we just need to decide which point of view we are in. One way may weigh us down and isolate us, but the other we may be able to see the hope that is before us.

Be Still

Published on by marycatherinethomas2 Comments

Be still, and know that I am God! Psalm 46:10a (NLT)

I love our property. Each morning I awake, open the curtains and look into our front yard. There, I am greeted with what the day is like. I smile and thank the Lord for where we are. The day may be overcast, sunny, rainy or snowing, each day, to me, is beautiful

As I started my walk today the wind was rustling the leaves in the woods. I could hear the birds singing and the crows cawing. Gravel on the driveway crunched under my feet. My senses were overwhelmed by the beauty of the day and the scent of the honeysuckle winding it’s way through our border trees.

The sun dappled through the leaves in the trees.

Leaving it’s light on the ground below my feet. The wind gently whispered through the woods surrounding our neighborhood. Places in the sun were warm and the shade lowered the temperature pleasantly.

I looked around my surroundings.

It’s been a couple of weeks since I was home for my morning walk. I missed these daily jaunts. This is my time of quiet. This is the time I speak to Father God.

Today, my mind quieted. I thought of writing. I asked to hear the voice of my Lord. He had joined me in my reverie. I quietly heard “Be still.” I reminded Him of who He was talking to. I reminded Him that it’s difficult for me to be still. He reaffirmed His thought.

I walked some more. I continued to hear the crunch of the gravel, the wind in the trees, and the birds. Peace rushed through me. Be still.

Prayer

Published on by marycatherinethomasLeave a comment

“God speaks in the silence of the heart. Listening is the beginning of prayer.” Unknown

We all enjoy conversations with one another. There are some conversations where the tone is light, airy and superficial. Other chats may become deep in revelation with one another. Exchanges with people can cover all areas or no areas at all. I think we have all experienced varieties of discussion.

I first learned about prayer that was not a rote prayer from a nun in my eighth grade year. Sister Kevin opened a class one day and introduced us to having a time of conversing with God. Growing up with reciting prayers from memory, this was a novel idea for me. But that lesson remained with me and still today I think back on that class.

Over the years I have been part of several courses on prayer. I often go back to the basic thought of conversation. When greeting someone, we do not carry on a one sided conversation. We allow the other person to respond and add to the exchange. (of course I have had those who don’t let you get a word in edge-wise also)

The same is true when starting a conversation with our Lord. He is not a jolly Santa who we come to and list our wants and desires and walk away with a treat. No, He is our Creator. He formed us in the wombs of our mothers. He knows the number of hairs on our head. He is intimately aware of how our body works and functions. And He longs to talk with us.

I am guilty of treating Him like a vending machine, expecting immediate results. That is one problem in this instant world of ours. Something breaks in the house? Go buy another. Hungry? Put something in the microwave and zap it. There are immediate answers for everything we set our eyes upon.

We just experienced a power outage at our home. In the seven years we have lived here, this has been the longest time without electricity. It was out for about an hour. It’s a very windy day. A tree had fallen on a line on the main road and that was the culprit. It is now fixed and things are once more humming in the house.

During that hour I went out to walk. The wind was whisking leaves around me, but there was a stillness I was aware of. Something was different.

As I was talking with the Lord while walking, I was impressed that sometimes our lives need to come to a halt. A time to quiet ourselves and listen. We may just hear the wind. We may hear a still small voice. Often, I hear a loud clearing of a throat and words telling me to stop and listen. Such was today on my walk. Our Lord wants to talk with us.

The eyes of the Lord are on the righteous, And His ears are open to their cry. Psalm 34:15 (NKJV)