Leaves in the wind
© 2015 by Tom Boynton (editing by Kathy Boynton)
This week, Kathy and I enjoyed hiking the trails of Lost Maples State Natural Area near Vanderpool, Texas. They lead through terrain which includes streams, ponds, trees, and leaves that often display brilliant colors in Autumn.
Observing the variety of leaves which God has placed there to display His glory, we noticed that, most of the time, it was extremely quiet with little or no breeze. The leaves were almost motionless. They reminded me of what Jesus said to Nicodemus who acknowledged God as the source of His miracles.
“Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God” (John 3:3).
As Nicodemus questioned Jesus about how to be born again, Jesus replied:
“The wind bloweth where it listeth, and thou hearest the sound thereof, but canst not tell whence it cometh, and whither it goeth: so is every one that is born of the Spirit” (John 3:5).
Leaves are an interesting demonstration of this statement. Though they don’t move themselves, we noticed that the wind made them move. We couldn’t see the wind. We couldn’t tell exactly where it came from. We couldn’t see where in went after it moved the leaf. We could only hear the sound of the wind and observe its effect on the leaves.
Sometimes a particular leaf would appear to tremble as the wind activated it. God’s Word tells us that “The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom” (Psalm 111:10). The prophet Isaiah proclaimed. “Hear the word of the LORD, ye that tremble at his word” (Isaiah 66:5). Sometimes as we watched a particular leaf, it would suddenly break into something that looked like leaping for joy. Isn’t this an interesting illustration of the joy that results as God’s Holy Spirit breathes life into a previously dead person?
Why did God the Son, Jesus, use wind to illustrate the new birth? By doing so He made it abundantly clear that the Holy Spirit is sovereignly responsible for the new birth of any soul. Just as “the wind bloweth where it listeth (wills),” so too is God’s Holy Spirit sovereign in the new birth.
Have you been moved by God’s Holy Spirit to repent and ask God’s forgiveness for your sins based on Christ’s loving sacrificial death at Calvary?
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