“Where the Wind of the Spirit Blows”

“The wind blows where it chooses, and you hear the sound of

it, but you do not know where it comes from or where it goes.

So it is with everyone who is born of the Spirit.” (John 3:8)

When the folks from our Annual Conference first told me that

they wanted me to move to Prescott, one of the first things I

thought of was wind, and this made me smile.

Years ago, when our family lived in Flagstaff, we would drive down to

Prescott during the spring to warm up a little bit. It was a great time

to hike and check out the lakes, but also, because of the seasonal

winds, it was a great time to fly kites. Being a nerdy kind of dad, I

loved getting the kid out to fly a kite — it’s like a craft, a science

lesson, and a nature walk all-in-one.

Well, I haven’t flown a kite in a few years, but I still love the wind.

Windy days make the whole world seem alive, don’t they? Wind

brings a certain energy that can stir us up, and bring us some fresh air.

Maybe that’s why the authors of the Bible used “wind” as a symbol for

the Holy Spirit? In the Bible, they love to use the words for “wind” and

“breath” — “pneuma” and “ruach” — for the movement and presence

of God in the world, and the life that God brings to humans. For the

folks in the Bible, wind was a reminder of God’s activity around them.

This Spring, the winds can be a reminder to us of God’s work in us, and

in our church. God has been stirring us up the last few months to help

us show our neighbors “all the faith, hope, and love, and none of the

judgment.”

I’ve been really loving how our youth and young adults are

experiencing God at work in their lives — they are enjoying having a

place to know God, explore their faith, and serve others at PUMC.

Working with them the last few months has been a true joy.

I pray that this month we all feel the presence of God with us, and

around us in the world. May the winds be a sign that, as John Wesley

said, “the best of all is that God is with us.”

Your Fellow Beloved,

—Pastor Kevin