Blowing in the wind???? Again....

This is another thought on “the wind” as it corresponds to motorcycle riding and then also in the church.  I won’t mention any names, but a friend of ours bought a motorcycle a few months ago.  He had ridden in his past so he was excited to get back on a bike again...his wife on the other hand was not real keen on the idea.  So he went through the process of getting his license by taking a class and was putting some time in on the bike getting acclimated to it again. Finally the day came when she climbed on the back for a ride...it went well and he was cautiously optimistic she would learn to like it.  

Now I am going to interject here, I have never recruited anyone to ride a motorcycle, never.  I know how fun it is and how much I enjoy it but I also know it can be seen as dangerous.  So I don’t recruit...period.  Barb on the other hand would want everyone to ride...and tells them so.  I have found we are like this with faith also, I am not a huge evangelist when it comes to my faith.  I mean I want everyone to know Jesus but I also think being a Christian is dangerous...it is so much more than going to church.  Jesus wants it all...and I am not always good at sharing that...He wants everything.  Now Barb goes for it because life is an adventure to be lived holding nothing back...dive in and enjoy the water! Sure He wants everything so just give it to Him!

So back to the story, we all went on a short ride this week end and something clicked for our friend...she is hooked!  She is ready to ride all the time...any time!  What changed for her?  The experience changed everything for her...she understands “the wind” thing now.  She said this, “ It's also----unobstructed vision---being able to see everything as it is, without any interference blocking the view.  (yet another analogy for life in the Spirit / clear vision.”  “Unobstructed vision” seeing clearly now that we cannot see normally...the KJV says in 1 Cor. 13:12 “For now we see through a glass, darkly.”  One day we will see everything more clearly but now we have an obstructed view...we long for an unobstructed view...which I do believe the Spirit brings to us on occasion...maybe not in everything but in increasing portions.  

Now as we enjoy the wind together I am again reminded that even in church where most of us long for the wind of the Spirit to blow...it offends some.  Or at least messes with their theology.  It is difficult to invite or recruit others to ride motorcycles...it can be dangerous and your hair will get messed up! (if you have any...I took care of that a long time ago)  It can even be difficult to invite people to come to church if we have to say, “Well we are not sure how this will go today...the wind is blowing and we make room for the wind to blow.” ( More common terms, “the Spirit is moving and we make room for Him to move.”) Not comfortable...can be messy...even dangerous I suppose.  Some will always choose to stay in the safe confines of their vehicles of choice...they can turn the air conditioning on when it is hot...heat on when it is cold.  They can stay dry if it rains...they can even roll the window down a little if they want to feel a little breeze.  They can choose. On a bike the choice is to ride or not...faster for more wind...slower for less...rain gear for rain...or pull over...either way you probably will get wet.  You will experience the elements...all of them...and you will have an unobstructed view.  The sky is all in view...the fields around you...the lake or the river beside you...trees and more.  All in view.  

We have decided to go for an unobstructed view in church life...now do not get me wrong, obstructions come along for sure but when you have experienced an unobstructed view you know the difference...and you will move to a better spot to see.  I don’t understand all there is to know about life in the Spirit...but I can tell you when the wind is blowing...and how the wind makes all the difference in the worlds.  As our friends fall in love with riding, they really cannot get enough...they want to ride all the time....as we fall in love with the Holy Spirit...we can never get enough...we want to be in His presence all the time.  As my friend Ray says when asked why he enjoys riding his motorcycle so much, “It’s the wind...it’s all about the wind.”  Why choose to go about church life like we do?  It’s the wind...it’s all about the wind.

Bill