On The Wings of the Wind

I ride a bicycle for fun and therapy. During the spring and summer I'm a “roadie”, pumping out miles on a skinny-tired, aluminum-framed, blue steed. In the fall and winter, I hang up my road bike and begin grinding away in the cold and dark on my purple and green, fat-tired, mountain bike. I'm not a hard core “dirt head”, as mountain bikers are know, but I thoroughly enjoy a good dirt trail with an occasional muddy spot. Bad weather isn't' a deterrent; it's an invitation.

Unless of course, we are talking about wind. Much effort, and large American dollars, is expended in the bicycle industry trying to overcome the effects of wind. The research has been successful to a degree, but the price of sharing in the success is significant, and to a person like me, unattainable. So, I deal with the wind.

In parts of the country, there are hills and trees to create natural buffers against the bikers blowing nemesis. And, the same is true in Texas. There is a tree close to Austin that helps some, and of course, there are the San Juan Mountains in northern New Mexico along with that barbed wire fence just this side of Midland. Suffice it to say a windy day makes even this man consider a reason not to ride. I'd even go roam through the shopping mall to escape the wind.

However, I ran across a couple of verses in Psalm 104 several months ago that not only changed my outlook on the wind, but also my awareness of the Lord. Verses 3 and 4 read,

"He lays the beams of His upper chambers in the waters; He makes the clouds His chariot; He walks upon the wings of the wind; He makes the winds His messengers, flaming fire His ministers."

On a windy day, you've watched the clouds blow across the sky, or stood marveling in the shade of a cloud ads it's shadow encompassed you. Clouds give definition to the wind, and David believed that they were the chariots of God. The next time you see the weatherman show a satellite picture of the clouds, think of it as a map of God's chariot tracks.

The wind itself carries the messages of the Lord. That includes everything from the pollination process, to scattering seeds, to weather patterns, to a breezy reminder that the Lord Himself is passing by. If He walks on the wings of the wind, glance at the leaves or the grass beside the road and you will have plenty of reassurance that He is close at hand.

Is all this silliness? I don't think so. My experience is that the Lord speaks in both profound insight and simple concepts, but the common thoughts far outnumber the show-stopping, profound revelations. Most certainly the Lord performs the miraculous, but He also rides on the wings of the wind. As for me, I choose to view the wind as His messenger, sent to remind me that He's not far off, in fact He's close at hand.

Dianne and I heading out this afternoon on our tandem (two-seater bike) for a short ride. As I look out my office window, the flags across the street are unfurled, yielding to a steady, south breeze. It will be a tough day to go far fast, but it will be a good day to be reminded of the lord and enjoy being with my wife.

I've enjoyed sharing part of my life with you that you might not have been aware of. If you're a biker too, let me know…better yet, send me a picture. Things are going well here and the Lord is blessing the ministry. Thanks for your prayers and faithful support. WE value them like gold and they are paying off richly. God bless you.