Tuesday, July 10, 2012

The Turbulence of God


 We took a group of our teenage students to the International Youth Convention in Denver last week.  For a few of them, it was their first time to fly.  Needless to say, they were a bit nervous.   Although some of the more seasoned flyers tried to calm their nerves,  anxiety showed on their faces.  Unfortunately for these rookie flyers, while on our final approach to Denver, we hit some severe turbulence.  This turbulence was not the back and forth swaying kind.  This turbulence was the drop up and down fifteen to twenty feet kind.  Even the seasoned flyers took notice.  For two brief moments, many passengers screamed as if they were taking the first hill of a giant rollercoaster.  Obviously, we survived.

Turbulence is defined meteorologically as instability in the atmosphere that disrupts the flow of wind causing gusty, unpredictable air currents.  At times when flying, turbulence can be predicted and preparations made for it.  However, at other times it shows up without warning, as it did on our flight into Denver.

 Spiritually speaking, God’s Holy Spirit can act like turbulence in our lives.  He can come at times unpredicted and uncontrolled.  The word used in the Old and New Testament to describe the Holy Spirit is associated with the idea of wind.  This wind can be a breath like the breath God breathed into man at creation.  It is also seen as a gentle breeze that moves a sailboat through the water.  We can’t see it, but we know it is there by what is occurring.  Lastly, the wind of the Spirit can be like a hurricane seeking to uproot sin and destroy strongholds of sin in our lives.  Like unpredicted turbulence gets our attention when flying, this work of God’s Spirit is intended to get our attention when we are not where we need to be in relationship with God.
If your life is getting rocked about by the Holy Spirit, you need to pay attention.   This is God’s extreme measure to wake you from spiritual slumber before your life crashes out of control and is destroyed.  Your spiritual seat belt sign is illuminated.  Better pay attention so you will arrive to your eternal home safely.

Come see us Sunday.  We will be talking about that…Pastor Jeff

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