Devotions from the Mountains: The Holy Spirit

Wind

You should not be surprised at My saying, ‘You must be born again.’ The wind blows wherever it pleases. You hear its sound, but you cannot tell where it comes from or where it is going. So it is with everyone born of the Spirit. — John 3:7-8

The White Mountains of New Hampshire and Maine feature some rugged territory. For more than sixty years, New Hampshire’s Mount Washington held the record for the fastest wind gust ever recorded on Earth. The 231-mile-per-hour gust was recorded on April 12, 1934, at the Mount Washington Observatory, and it still stands as the strongest recorded in the Western Hemisphere and the Northern Hemisphere. The observatory sits at an elevation of 6,288 feet, and for a variety of reasons, it experiences some amazingly bad weather.

Across our planet, the wind does many things. It plays a part in complex weather patterns; it provides wind power; it gives life to sailboats; and gentler winds help pollinate plants, to name just a few of its functions.

So it is with the Holy Spirit. We do not see Him, yet His effects are felt in countless ways.

Think of how many believers there are all over the world. Now consider that the Holy Spirit is within each one, helping us, comforting us, counseling us, and reminding us of all that Jesus taught. He empowers us. He envelops us in love and cultivates in us His fruit:

love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. — Galatians 5:22-23

We cannot see the Spirit, yet the evidence of His presence is everywhere.

Praise God for His generosity in being present with us in this powerful way!

O Lord, thank You for transforming my life through the Holy Spirit. Your ways are so wise and so loving! Help me to recognize Your presence and to freely cooperate with You.

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Mountains in the City

But I have calmed and quieted myself, I am like a weaned child with its mother; like a weaned child I am content. — Psalm 131:2

Usually, we have to drive some distance to reach the mountains. But there are places where cities have grown right up around the base of a mountain, though not over it. The city of Phoenix lies on a vast, flat valley, with many mountains in the distance and several peaks within the city. South Mountain and Camelback Mountain are two that rise up within the metropolitan area.

These are not the pine-covered slopes or snowy peaks that might come to mind when we think mountain. The desert vegetation is sparse and hardy, so the underlying rock is what stands out from a distance. Yet they still offer much of what other mountains do. At sixteen thousand acres, South Mountain Park is the largest municipal park in the U.S. It’s not one mountain, but rather three mountain ranges, and it includes more than fifty miles of trails for hiking, biking, and horseback riding. It offers amazing views of the Phoenix valley and diverse desert vegetation and wildlife. Camelback Mountain is an inspiring sight, rising in the middle of the sixth largest city in the U.S. Composed of granite and red sandstone, it is a long, rugged landform that, from the south, really does look like the head and hump of a kneeling camel.

These mountains remind us that we don’t have to go far to seek God’s protection and healing touch. While it’s lovely to get away from it all, to have concentrated time alone with God, He often meets us amid the noise and commotion of our lives. When we turn to Him, He meets us right where we are. When we steal a moment for prayer, whether it’s in our car, at our desk, or in our closet, He hears us. We can reach out for His comfort, His grace, His wisdom, and His strength. The Holy Spirit is with us there just as surely as in a remote alpine meadow.

O Lord, thank You that You meet me wherever I am. I quiet my racing mind, and I surrender to You. Please fill me with Your peace.

Excerpted with permission from Devotions from the Mountains by Lisa Ham, copyright Thomas Nelson.

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Your Turn

The Holy spirit is with you today. No matter what you are going through, He is within you. He will help you, comfort you, counsel you, and whisper to your heart the very words of God. The Lord loves you. Come share your thoughts on God, the Holy Spirit on our blog. We want to hear from you! ~ Devotionals Daily