Perhaps the best piece of advice I’ve read on prayer comes from an African proverb.
It suggests, “If you want to speak to God, tell it to the wind.”
Wind is often used to describe the presence of God in the Scripture.
“When God began to create the heavens and the earth—the earth was without shape or form, it was dark over the deep sea, and God’s wind swept over the waters—God said, “Let there be light.”
“The Holy One formed the human from the topsoil of the fertile land and blew life’s breath into his nostrils.”
“God’s spirit made me; the Almighty’s breath enlivens me.”
“Then he said to me, “Prophesy to the breath, prophesy, mortal, and say to the breath:[c] Thus says the Lord God: Come from the four winds, O breath,[d] and breathe upon these slain, that they may live.” 10 I prophesied as he commanded me, and the breath came into them, and they lived and stood on their feet, a vast multitude.”
“God’s Spirit[a] blows wherever it wishes. You hear its sound, but you don’t know where it comes from or where it is going. It’s the same with everyone who is born of the Spirit.””
“He breathed on them and said to them, “Receive the Holy Spirit.””
“And suddenly there came from heaven a noise like a violent rushing wind, and it filled the whole house where they were sitting…and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak with other tongues…”
The last reference if from Acts 2—the story of Pentecost.
Sunday is Pentecost Sunday. It is the day we celebrate the rebirth of God’s people. The Spirit of God is poured out upon believers, and the result was the continuation of proclaiming God’s love to the world. The Pentecost moment is a renewal of God’s faithfulness and devotion to God’s people—a reminder of God’s promise never to forsake or abandon. It is a reminder that God is always creating and moving us further down the road towards justice, peace, and love.
To think, all of life and the renewal of life began with wind—God’s breath. It is the Divine Breath that fuels our energies and inspires our dreams throughout our life. It is the Spirit of God that renews our hopes and reveals to us the new things God is doing in our midst. God breathes a newness into our lungs so that we may sing God’s praises and tell the story of God’s saving love in our midst.
We will have a chance to do that Saturday night. Minus the singing, of course.
You are invited to join me for evening prayer in the parking lot of First Presbyterian Church at 6:00 pm on Saturday, May 30, 2020. It’ll be a simple service you won’t even need to leave your car. Using a Soundsystem and wearing my mask, I will lead us in a brief liturgy for evening prayer in preparation for Pentecost Sunday. After the prayer and as you exit the parking lot, I will hand each of you a pinwheel to incorporate into your worship space on Sunday morning. It’ll be our first attempt at an outside service, so I welcome your patience and willingness to try something new…while wearing your masks. There will be no singing, no bulletins, and no getting out of our vehicles to hug. However, there will be fellowship, a deepening of our faith, and a renewed sense of community as we gather outside for worship.
Saturday night will be fun. Why? We’ll be together, outside, and speaking to God through the wind that blows.
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