Who has seen the wind?
Neither I nor you.
But when the leaves hang trembling,
The wind is passing through.
Who has seen the wind?
Neither you nor I.
But when the trees bow down their heads,
The wind is passing by. (Christina Rosetti)

On Pentecost Sunday, I reflected back to you that you don’t think that we, as the Tri-Saints, or Lutherans for that matter, talk about the Holy Spirit enough.  In my sermon that day, I gave you several instances of the Holy Spirit showing up in scripture, often in very different and surprising ways.  I offered all of these instances as an out-pouring of the Holy Spirit that could carry us through the summer.  As you read the passages which follow, which images of the Holy Spirit grab hold of you?  Carry them with you in your devotional time this summer.  Invite the Holy Spirit to work on you, both through these texts, and through the places and ways in which the Holy Spirit calls you to be a Child of God in the world.  It just might change your life…

• • Likewise the Spirit helps us in our weakness; for we do not know how to pray as we ought, but that very Spirit intercedes with sighs too deep for words. (Romans 8:26 NRSV)
  • God said to Elijah, “Go out and stand on the mountain before the Lord, for the Lord is about to pass by.” Now there was a great wind, so strong that it was splitting mountains and breaking rocks in pieces before the Lord, but the Lord was not in the wind; and after the wind an earthquake, but the Lord was not in the earthquake; ¹² and after the earthquake a fire, but the Lord was not in the fire; and after the fire a sound of sheer silence. (2 Kings 19:11-12 NRSV)
  • All who are led by the Spirit of God are children of God. For you did not receive a spirit of slavery to fall back into fear, but you have received a spirit of adoption. When we cry, “Abba! Father!” it is that very Spirit bearing witness with our spirit that we are children of God (Romans 8:14-16 NRSV)
  • In the beginning when God created the heavens and the earth, ² the earth was a formless void and darkness covered the face of the deep, while a wind from God swept over the face of the waters.  (Genesis 1:1-2 NRSV)
  • If you love me, you will keep my commandments. ¹⁶ And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Advocate, to be with you forever. ¹⁷ This is the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees him nor knows him. You know him, because he abides with you, and he will be in you.  (John 14:15-17 NRSV)
  • When the day of Pentecost had come, the disciples were all together in one place. And suddenly from heaven there came a sound like the rush of a violent wind, and it filled the entire house where they were sitting. Divided tongues, as of fire, appeared among them, and a tongue rested on each of them. All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other languages, as the Spirit gave them ability. (Acts 2:1-4 NRSV)
  • Jesus said to them again, “Peace be with you. As the Father has sent me, so I send you.” ²² When he had said this, he breathed on them and said to them, “Receive the Holy Spirit. ²³ If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven them; if you retain the sins of any, they are retained.” (John 20:21-23 NRSV)
  • But the Advocate, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you everything, and remind you of all that I have said to you. (John 14:26)

Who has seen the Spirit?
Neither I nor you.
But when our prayers are heard by God,
The Spirit’s passing through.
Who has seen the Spirit?
Neither you nor I.
But when our hearts are set on fire,
The Spirit’s passing by. (Breen Sipes)

Holy Spirit, Holy Spirit, come to us.  Amen.