Following the Spirit

Jesus told Nicodemus 'The wind blows wherever it pleases - you cannot tell where it comes from or where it is going. So it is with everyone born of the Spirit'.

The Spirit blows freely. It doesn't follow our set patterns, pre-conceived ideas or agendas. As such it can seem to us that it flits from one place to another. We talk of keeping in step with the Spirit ... but for us to truly do that will surely require us to walk in a way that qualifies for the ministry of funny walks!

Today I was out walking and had the pleasure of following a butterfly along the trail. It kept flitting from one place to the next, stopping and then moving on, settling and then off again. Since I was in prayer anyway, I resolved to track its movements, letting it be a guide for my own movement: when it flew forward I would walk forward, when it settled I would slow, stop and pray.

Eventually it settled on the path just ahead, so I stopped, knelt, and prayed right there. Some while later it took off, and so I set off once again.

Are we prepared to do similar in ministry? Sensing when the Spirit is going forward, to the left or right, and be sensitive to when it has settled on some place or some one? Will we stop and pray right there at the settling point for as long  as the Spirit is settled? Or do we march forward no matter ...