I love how color mixes. I love the sound of the wind in the trees. It has been awesome to learn to hear the Voice of the Spirit. He has, and is, blowing His Kingdom winds into my life. That’s what this painting is about for me. It was fun.
The wind forms a powerful thread in the God Story. Let’s follow part of this teaching as we consider the winds of the Kingdom.
√ Jesus teaches a prominent Jewish scholar and leader and chooses to explain God’s Spirit this way: “The wind blows where it wishes and you hear the sound of it, but do not know where it comes from and where it is going; so is everyone who is born of the Spirit.” – John 3:8
√ So the Spirit cannot be seen but the effects of its presence are clear. Jesus also encounters wind as an earth-force which can be quite intimidating.
“On that day, when evening came, He said to them, “Let us go over to the other side.” Leaving the crowd, they took Him along with them in the boat, just as He was; and other boats were with Him. And there arose a fierce gale of wind, and the waves were breaking over the boat so much that the boat was quickly filling with water.
Jesus Himself was in the stern, asleep on the cushion; and they woke Him and said to Him, “Teacher, do You not care that we are perishing?” And He got up and rebuked the wind and said to the sea, “Hush, be still.” And the wind died down and it became perfectly calm. He said to them, “Why are you afraid? Do you still have no faith?”
They were filled with fear and amazement and said to one another, “Who is this, that even the wind and the sea obey Him?” – Mark 4:35-41
√ When the Spirit is poured out at Pentecost after Jesus’ resurrection the wind of power comes upon the Jewish Temple.
“When the day of Pentecost had come, they were all together in one place. And suddenly there came from heaven a noise like a violent rushing wind, and it filled the whole house where they were sitting.” – Acts 2:1-2
√ Apparently there are four winds of the earth. I need to spend some time thinking about this picture.
“After this I saw four angels standing at the four corners of the earth, holding back the four winds of the earth, so that no wind would blow on the earth or on the sea or on any tree.” – Revelation 7:1
These four passages give us insight into the physical and spiritual nature of the wind. The Spirit is incredibly key to Spiritual life as well as spiritual warfare. Just a thought. Here is a poem-soon-to-be-song about the wind:
As you awaken from your sleepy dream
I Am here – I Am here
As you lift up your eyes, raise the hands of your heart
I Am here – I Am here
And you shall fight the fight of those who have gone before you
You shall raise My sword and put armies to flight
You shall live your love as a clothing of armor
You shall lift your shield for I am your Helper
It is Me – It is Me
And you shall sing the song of the wind
And you shall dance the dance of the joyful heart!
You shall lift My Name in your cities around you
You shall sing the song of the Wind
You shall search for Me and you shall find Me
And you shall sing the song of the Wind
Selah.
Dave & Burnadette