“He gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the shepherds and teachers, to equip the saints for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ, until we all attain to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to mature manhood, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ, so that we may no longer be children, tossed to and fro by the waves and carried about by every wind of doctrine, by human cunning, by craftiness in deceitful schemes. Rather, speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in every way into him who is the head, into Christ, from whom the whole body, joined and held together by every joint with which it is equipped, when each part is working properly, makes the body grow so that it builds itself up in love.
“Now this I say and testify in the Lord, that you must no longer walk as the Gentiles do, in the futility of their minds. They are darkened in their understanding, alienated from the life of God because of the ignorance that is in them, due to their hardness of heart. They have become callous and have given themselves up to sensuality, greedy to practice every kind of impurity.” Ephesians 4:11-19
“If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask God, who gives generously to all without reproach, and it will be given him. But let him ask in faith, with no doubting, for the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea that is driven and tossed by the wind. For that person must not suppose that he will receive anything from the Lord; he is a double-minded man, unstable in all his ways.” James 1:5-8
Wind has been whishing the trees for hours, with steady briskness and occasional gusts. The sky is a lovely ever-changing array of moving greys over blues, tinged from behind by morning light. And then there are the birds, silent, wings wide and still- no flapping-, gracefully soaring on the currents in sweeps and swirls, as though taking the day off to float.
Wind clears and cleans, refreshes and confirms. Grounded in biblical truth, we can spread our wings and catch the wind. The Spirit convicts, cleanses, and inspires. We only grow stronger when buffeted by human cunning and the enemy’s wiles, because deep spiritual roots free us to fly to spiritual heights with keen understanding, fixed destination.
But wind also destroys. False doctrine and deception blow billowy masquerades that unsettle and whip our resolve, that deceive and confuse us in clouds of falsehood and insecurity. Beware succumbing to the breeze of pop ideas and crafty schemes. Would they carry me on a downdraft away from my Lord and distance me from His people, or sweep me up in His loving fellowship and clarity?
Who, or what, sets my velocity and direction? Do gales of cultural pressure, mixed religion, and social constructs, so unsettle me that convictions waffle with every gust? Do I drift in different directions with every blow or push or wind of change?
Father, keep me alert and discerning to read the wind today. May I ride the current of Your grace and truth into wisdom and ever higher faith, and glorify You in the flight.
As the rain and snow 