Of Wind

There is a wind blowing.

It is the Holy Spirit moving over my land, over my city, over my church, over my family, over my marriage. The Holy Spirit is moving.

In the New Testament the same word is used for spirit and wind, and it blows life into hungry men and women. A person born by the Holy Spirit is like the wind – driven wherever his Lord leads him or her.

This wind is recognized by love. As they encounter the living Lord, a deep love is created in the heart of man, kindled by holy fire. This fire burns with zeal and never-ending intensity in his maidservants. In your heart of hearts, a love for him swells up and makes you long to be wherever he is. It sets you on a path towards a homeland you know but have never seen. You recognize its music, and it defines your identity, and you desire to hear it as you arrive. There you will sing his glory for ever and ever and ever. This is a love without boundaries.

There is a wind blowing.

Every man and every woman of faith lift their heads, as they sense the scent of holiness, the sweetest of smells, as it reminds them of their Lord. He is holy, and those who follow him treasure his divine fragrance before even their own lives.

A man of faith, a woman of faith, recognizes the Lord’s beckoning. He is coming, and he reveals himself through those who not only call him Lord but do what he says.

The voice of my love! The sound of salvation and joy, of freedom and peace!

The faithful understand his coming, and so they leave the flock to follow him. They follow him from love, yes, a burning love.

And this is taking place as you read this greeting from Him.

The time has come when his faithful speak faith into the lives of their families, their neighbors, their fellow churchgoers, their co-workers, their training-companions, their friends. They speak from love, and they speak truth, as they know the Holy Spirit has opened a door for transformation.

And so many will repent and be saved due to the faithful words of the faithful. The harvest is ripe, waiting to be brought in.

And so many will rave in rage, calling the faithful unfathomable horrid names, and go to lengths to destroy the servants of the Lord. They seek to cancel that which cannot be cancelled: The Lord’s call to repent.

But the faithful will not be derailed. They have left the flock out of love for the Lord, yes, a burning love. They do not love their lives, unto death, they love him.

There is a wind blowing.

The urge of the faithful is to follow him wherever he leads. And so, an exodus is taking place. It is not a movement, it is not an agenda, nor is it driven by man, and no church can claim it.

One by one they leave. To them, however, it is not so much leaving as it is following. It is a matter of the heart and is stronger than death. The mocking of the many has no attraction in comparison with his voice. And so, the Holy Spirit drives them to him. Nothing else is of consequence, nothing else is of value.

This is not just mere joy, this is meaning, purpose, and the music of eternity. This is coming home. This is arriving.

There is a wind blowing.

This wind is healing for so many things, so many things that fell apart, so many things that fell crushing to the ground, so many nights that cried in desperation, so many pains that tore brothers apart, so many words that made spouses cower, so many tensions that made your children dread their dreams.

All those tears cried out in wordless prayers, and the Lord commanded his wind to blow.

First and foremost, this wind is the healing of hearing, for the exodus is the healing of the ear.

Why do they leave the comfort of the flock, of political correctness, of institutions and friendship? They leave because they hear a voice. The sound of their foremost love.

Astonished you realize you hear his voice, that he is calling you, by name, and he wants your companionship. He wants your exclusive friendship. This is when a believer cocks his head in disbelief, turns and leaves the flock. What else is there?

And once you start hearing, you start hearing.

What kind of a person would say to his or her foremost love: I hold you dearer than anything in the world but do shut up!

Once you leave the flock out of love, yes, a burning love, you realize the unfathomable value of what you hear, and you pay attention to each and every word your love utters, for love teaches you to trust. And so, he directs you to his word and his words, and now you do listen, as you know life flows from him.

From the healing of the ear, follows the healing of mind and body, marriage, family, friendship, and everything else within your touch.

And this you will call faith – to listen attentively to him who gives life.

There is a wind blowing.

And so, they do leave the flock, one by one, to follow him out of love, yes a burning love. And this love is expressed in so very many ways. And still, observers seem to only hear about him, no matter what expression this love took at any given moment.

As the faithful leave the flock, and follow their love, they are engulfed by the music of the eons. And as it resounds in their hearts, it permeates their very being. It becomes a fire in their bodies, souls, and spirits – it is the ultimate love song. And as this reality of love floats around them, it also becomes an integral part of who they are, and flows in beauty from their minds, their mouths, their instruments, their morals, their homes, their money, their hands.

Worship is beauty. Worship is a burning love voiced in the music of eternity. It was never about the music – it was always about him.

There is a wind blowing

Burning love is immensely contagious. Therefore, the exodus taking place at this time multiplies.

Seeing a dear friend leave, may be devastating. Seeing him or her leaving from a burning love, however, is enticing. Realizing the weight of reality behind that exodus and beginning to understand what you are missing out on, creates a cry of the heart. Why him, and not me? What did she hear that I did not? Why did God choose them and not me?

But God did not. God chose you. You need to listen. And to cry to God. And he will call you to follow.

Then do follow!

There is a wind blowing.

It is the strongest of bonds. Love that never ceases but grows incessantly.

And this is the mark of this burning love – you want more, you need more, and you will have more. The faithful know it is not there to fulfil their needs – it is a response to the love the Lord has for them. That is why they cannot and will not stop worshipping. That is why they cannot stop following. There is nothing else!

The flock mocks this, for they cannot relate to a love that is not self-centered.

Those, however, who left the flock from love, yes a burning love, they do understand, for they also are in this constant state of worship, this constant circumstance of ever-growing love.

It is amazing to see this love wash over into a bond with the others who also followed the Lord away from the flock. These who left, are drawn to each other. Regardless of background, of culture, language, or place, they are one.

What they have grasped is so immense, so vast, so incredible, so valuable – and they understand that they have one thing in common – the burning love for the Lord. Their hearts are filled with him, and so their tongues speak of him with an ever-creating newness.

And this binds them tightly together. This band of brothers and sisters show their burning love for their Lord by setting the other faithful above themselves. They do not meet to receive, but always to give. Thoughtfully, they are prepared to always lift up, always encourage, always defend, always forgive, always believe.

They become a laughing stock for being gullible, but they are not – they truly love.

The love the Lord has given them, they return to him by mirroring his love to anyone who shares their burning love for the Lord.

The wind blows. The wind is the Lord, and the Lord is calling:

So, come away, my love.