THERE IS A WIND BLOWING

It's an unusual morning in the Sparrow's Perch, and my feelings are all over the place. Somewhere below me in the park around the lake, a dog is barking as if it is trying to get someone's attention. It hasn't stopped barking since I arrived nearly twenty minutes ago. It's unusual, because this is the first time I've heard a dog barking from my window above the park. I assume it belongs to someone who's gone running on this unusually warm fall morning. It feels as if there is a storm coming. The wind is gusting, and it brings back memories of my childhood in El Paso, Texas.

I like the wind.

Growing up on the northeast side of the Franklin Mountains, my life was measured in the cycles of the wind. From late February till the middle of April, you could count on the wind blowing a steady gale from sunrise to sunset. I grew up with the familiar sight of blown down billboards, store signs, and broken storefront glass. I've seen the wind walk mobile homes off their cinderblock piers, turn over tractor trailer rigs as if they were leaves, and blow this little boy home on his bicycle at speeds that would have caused his mother to have a heart attack. Tornadoes are frightening, hurricanes monstrous, but unrelenting straight line winds of 80 mph can hollow out your soul. The desert sand would blow into places you would never think sand could be found. I was convinced that much of the crime that was committed in that city, was done by people with sand in their underwear. Yet, despite all this, I always enjoy a good windstorm.

As I left the house this morning, I found myself grinning as the wind whipped through the Crepe Myrtle in our front yard. Not all wind is destructive. I also have good memories of the wind. For me, the wind is always symbolic of the presence of God. Many of the mightiest moves of God I've experienced were preceded by a wind out of nowhere. I could share them with you, but like all personal experiences, something always gets lost in the telling. Two instances in particular, were life changing for me, but I'm sure they meant nothing to anyone else. That is often the case with God's presence. What moves me to press in deeper, will cause someone else to stand back and shake their head in disbelief.

There is a wind blowing in Harrison, Arkansas.

The marvel of our technological age, is that we have the ability to record, report, and enjoy what God is doing. For all the bad rap it gets, Facebook is an amazing place to let people know what God is doing. Among my list of friends, are the pastors and members of other fellowships in Harrison. This affords me the opportunity to see what God is doing, while still being faithful to my fellowship. AND, God is doing some serious stuff.

There is a wind blowing in Harrison, Arkansas.

While I believe the word 'revival' is seriously over used, and misused, there is a move of God happening in this sleepy little hamlet. The faithful, and hungry are seeing great moves of God's Spirit throughout the entire spectrum of denominational, and non-denominational fellowships. I don't care how you define revival, it is here.

There is a wind blowing in Harrison, Arkansas.

The question I have is; will people enjoy this move of God, or will we let it blow by us?

What came to my heart as I was driving into town this morning was the story of Moses, and how he had a tent built called the 'Tent of the Meeting.' We are told that Moses' relationship with God was one of friendship, and profound intimacy. It is said that Moses talked with God face to face, as one speaks to a friend. What is amazing to me about this story, is that the Tent was made so that the Children of Israel could come before their God and MEET with him. The invitation was open, but they were satisfied to stand at the doors to their own tents while Moses and Joshua soaked in the glory of God. “You go talk with Him.” they said. We can only guess at their reason for not going forward. What we do know, is that long after Moses had returned to his own tent, Joshua had decided to stay in the Presence of God, often spending the night there. Is it any wonder, that when the time came for Moses to die, God chose Joshua. He chose him, not because of his great leadership skills, nor because he was a great communicator, or because of his knowledge of the Law of God. He chose Joshua, because Joshua knew God's voice. He'd met with Him in the tent of the meeting. Once more, the wind blew, and the Spirit of God did mighty things.

There is a wind blowing in Harrison, Arkansas.

So, to all my friends, and those who just happened onto this blog, I am touching my finger to my tongue and holding it up to the wind.

Yes, there is a wind blowing in Harrison, Arkansas.

Soon you will hear of great, and mighty deeds done in the power of Jesus name. Soon, you will see the lame walk, the deaf hear, and the dead rise again. You see, I believe that the very same Spirit that empowered Jesus and His disciples, is doing the same here in Harrison. I am not satisfied to let these things be ancient fables. I am not satisfied to let someone else go into the tent, when I can have full access by the blood of Jesus. I am not satisfied to walk out of the 'Tent' the same person I came in as. I'm going to get on my spiritual bicycle and head for home. (Someday I'll tell the story.) I'm going to let the Wind of God blast me into the maelstrom of His love, until I'm going so fast I'll never stop.

There is a wind blowing in Harrison, Arkansas.

PS;  THE DOG IS STILL BARKING