Windy Again

The wind is howling round the house, again. It feels like it hasn’t paused for days. Whining at the windows, rattling the doors, branches scratching like fingernails on a blackboard.

I find the wind exhausting. Here in Scotland it’s rarely a gentle caressing breeze, more of a piercing blast with a bitter edge to it.

The Holy Spirit is likened to the wind, among other images. Is this why he is often ignored or disregarded? We don’t like to have our comfortable seats roughed up. We don’t like our ingrained prejudices buffeted by truth. We don’t like the unpredictability of the wind. We like to make our plans and follow them through.

I’ve got my plans, and the wind of change threatens to disrupt and dismantle them.

Jesus beckoned Peter out of the boat, to walk on the water when it was still turbulent because of the strong winds. Peter responded, and only sank when he became distracted by circumstances.

May I not be distracted by circumstances, but be focused on the face of Jesus and step out of the boat, to go wherever he would take me, today and in the days to come.