By Chaplain Joy Le Page Smith, MA

Recently, while we were spending some time in our hometown, two of our friends came to the townhouse where we were staying to give a presentation they were planning for their church congregation. They had done in depth research, and we were happy they decided to “practice” their presentation on us. I knew their work would be good but had no idea how deeply it could reach a person. Here l will extend, in my own words, “take aways” related specifically to clouds and the magnificent role they play in our lives, although this only presents a small portion of our friends’ presentation.  

These beautiful sky-riders hang over the oceans, having arisen from the waves below. As the heat of the sun lifts the water off the surface of the earth’s seas and lakes this creates a process through which desalination takes place. The clouds, moved by the wind, carry this desalted water over the land. Altitude and temperature changes create droplets of water and tiny bits of ice which bounce around against one another causing friction. Positive and negative electrical charges jump between the clouds—and voila! We have thunderstorms. Fire in the sky! As nitrogen splits off it is carried to the ground within the rain as the water particles within the clouds become too heavy to float.

This powerful and awesome “sky-action” not only waters the land as it rains, but the nitrogen within the rain serves to fertilize our veggies, flora, and fauna—supporting and strengthening all that grows in the ground. Voila! All that humans additionally need is here for us to live along with Earth’s varied creatures. (Until about age six, we think it comes from the grocery store.)

A little side note about nitrogen: It is an essential element for all living organisms, but it does not come to us through the air. It comes to us through our food.

We rarely think of the power and the majesty that abides in how life is continuously available to all who dwell here. We learn early in school that our bodies are 60-70% comprised of water. All parts of our bodies are continuously supplied with what is needed for existence. Water, along with the air we breathe, are the mover-shakers of this beingness. Voila! We “live and move and have our being.”

The question is whose mind is behind all this? Romans 1:20 Is a verse that emphasizes the idea that continual evidence of God is perpetually seen within creation. It states that since the creation of the world, God’s invisible attributes, including His eternal power and divine nature, are clearly seen within this garden. Yet, “without excuse” people fail to credit God for this mighty and awesome green earth. It doesn’t take a lot of common sense to know, as we ponder the way humans exist alongside the magnificent animals, reptiles and the many birds of the air, that beaucoup planning took place.

I, among billions of others, believe it all started with the voice of God which brought the earth and all that supports life into being. We see clearly the masterful, loving hand of God at work, here, with His presence, His wisdom and His knowledge continually evident for all to see.

Richard Dawkins, a well-known atheist author, spoke of human origins within a YouTube titled “Outgrowing God: Richard Dawkins in Conversation.” Dawkins said about the earth and how we came to be, “It looks as though we are an incredibly lucky improbable accident.” What an excellent example of people believing what they want to believe.

Are we grateful? If not let this be a “new” day. God has made us with an amazing ability to think, to do and process. The Bible teaches that positivity and gratitude are game changers.

God’s design from the beginning “majored in water.” And, within God’s perfect timing He sent Jesus to us, who promised “living water” to everyone believing in Him. He was speaking of the Holy Spirit that would come after Jesus’ resurrection once He entered His glory. John 7:37-38, “On the last day, that great day of the feast, Jesus stood and cried out, saying, “If anyone thirsts, let him come to Me and drink. ³⁸ He who believes in Me, as the Scripture has said, out of his heart will flow rivers of living water.”

Joy Le Page Smith, MA, is a Board-Certified Clinical Chaplain. Visit her home page for many more helpful articles addressing life’s difficulties and Quick Aids. Meanwhile, Joy’s blog and her books are read in up to 32 countries. Her second, newest site is at Healingwithjoy.blogspot.com 

Years ago, at our Idaho home, I found a stalk of corn growing in my petunias. This was odd as the petunia boxes are on our deck ten feet above ground. No doubt the corn was planted by a bird as the bird feeder hangs on the top deck rail directly above this solitary stalk.

This would be fun, I thought— to sit at the table and watch the growth of an ear of corn while on our patio. Not ever having been a vegetable gardener, I had a lot to learn. About the time of the first signs of an ear were expected, sprigs of grain-like shoots took off from the trunk and quickly turned to seed. What went wrong?

Recently, I discovered from a farmer the reason my corn could not produce in the petunia box. He told me about the “bull rows,” how corn is planted four rows without tassels and one row with tassels; the tasseled row being the bull row, would pollinate the others. When the wind blows across the field pollen is distributed, allowing a crop to form.

Thoughts of my “not-so-real corn” has returned, seeming to carry a spiritual message of how we are the plantings of the Lord. The wind of the Holy Spirit blows perpetually and gently upon us.

John 3:6-8 tells us, “That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. Do not marvel that I said to you, ‘You must be born again.’ The wind blows where it wishes, and you hear the sound of it, but cannot tell where it comes from and where it goes . . .” (John 3:9-21 explain the “how to” of being “born of the Spirit.”)

We receive truth and we share this truth with others. Thus, we bring life to one another. Each in turn, we are born of the Spirit. Therefore this truth is carried from heart to heart, generation after generation, the fruit of goodness–”Godness.” This is how the truth of our Redeemer has continued for 2,025 years, now.

It is no credit of ours that we bear fruit. Only by the wind of the Spirit can this take place. Without the gentle blowing of God’s Spirit across our souls, we would stand alone as did my “fake corn,” wither and finally die.

The farmer also believed another problem existed for my lonely stalk of corn. Having never formed a tassel, it was no doubt of a hybrid variety, meaning it was a “one shot” affair. There could be no corn for the second year. Man had tampered with it to make it bigger and better. The results? One glorious show, but not regeneration. No future. Soon deemed to become effete.

This is what happens to us when we try to run our lives regardless of God’s plan? Strangely enough, we think our ways are better. We may put ourselves through the mill to be that “somebody” that will do “something significant,” all the time ignoring the fact that deep within God has encoded us with His design, one which He knows full well will be most productive and long lasting. Even eternal.

Our part is fairly simple—just yield Him a quiet, willing heart, open and receptive to the wind of the Spirit. Then, our potential crop of fruit, lying within, can and does come forth.

Our human nature goes against yielding ourselves to the blowing of the Spirit, which means moving with God, entering the glorious dance of “yes”–letting the Master rule and reap in the harvest of the heart.

But, thanks be to God, through Jesus Christ all things are possible. Even to the finding of inner strength to bend our wills to His. So hypothetically, both the knee and the will are called to bend when we are walking with the Lord. In this way, we can better catch the prevailing Wind while advancing in our spiritual growth.

Author info. Chaplain Joy Le Page Smith is a Board certified clinical chaplain. She is reaching readers with her books and websites in up to 32 countries. View her children’s book as a YouTube at healingwithjoy.blogspot.com Also, find many helpful articles addressing life’s difficulties at Healing-with-Joy.com