I’m interested in weather. No…I’m intrigued by it. Few things in nature captivate me like the mysteries that surround our atmosphere and weather here on planet earth. I love it when it rains, storms excite me and strong winds cause me to stop and stare at the moving clouds, trees and blades of grass. I just love weather patterns and how totally unpredictable it all really is. Because of my love of weather, I find Psalm 135:5-7 an interesting passage of Scripture: “For I know that the Lord is great and that our Lord is above all gods. Whatever the Lord pleases, that has He done in the heavens and on earth, in the seas and all deeps – Who causes the vapors to arise from the ends of the earth, Who makes lightnings for the rain, Who brings the wind out of His storehouses.” Among the spiritual truths in our text, the Psalmist declares that he confidently knows: 1) the Lord is great; 2) God is above all gods; and 3) He does what He pleases in heaven, earth, and the deep places. But this third truth gets a little elaboration from the writer. He says that God raises the vapors, creates the lightning and draws wind out of His storehouses. This last phrase caught my attention. Some translations use the word ‘treasuries’ instead of ’storehouses,’ and that’s closer to the original meaning of the word. Think about that for a second: There are treasuries that the Lord has that hold nothing but the wind. And when He needs the wind to do His bidding and requires it to alter conditions to conform to His will, He just goes to His ‘wind treasury’ where the wind is stored and He makes a withdrawal and let’s it blow! But what does God use the wind for?
1) To blow out adversity! In Exodus 10, God sent a windstorm to remove the plague of locusts that had infested Egypt after Pharaoh had promised to let the Israelites go into the wilderness to worship if the locusts were sent away. Of course, Pharaoh didn’t keep His end of the bargain. In Exodus 10:13, the LORD used an east wind to bring locusts into Egypt. Along with the breaking of dawn came a destructive horde of plant-devouring insects. The Bible says these locusts were: very severe (V14) and covered the entire ground (V15). And even though Pharaoh falsely repented, the Lord sent a strong west wind to blow the locusts into the Red Sea (V19). The wind came as a result of Moses’ prayer and it blew out adversity! God also uses the wind:
2) To bring showers of blessings! In 1Kings 18, God sent the wind to carry the rain that would end a 3 1/2 year drought that was terrorizing the people in Elijah’s day. After his victory over the prophets of Baal, Elijah prayed for the sending of the rain and God sent it by means of wind that He pulled from His treasury. Dryness creates needs, but God waters faith that grows in the toughest drought. Elijah heard, with ears of faith, the “sound” of abundant rain and he knew that showers of blessings were coming. God also uses wind:
3) To bring correction! In Jonah 1, Jonah had chosen to disobey God by going in the opposite direction from where the Lord had sent him. Rather than go preach judgment to the despicable Ninevites and risk their deliverance, Jonah preferred to allow them to go into destruction without warning. To avoid his calling, he jumped on a ship and tried to get away from God. But, God sent a storm, with wind from His treasury, to correct His servant and get a much-needed witness to Nineveh.
Moses’ wind was valuable because it removed adversity. Elijah’s wind was valuable because it brought showers of blessing. Jonah’s wind was valuable because it produced the correction needed to make a change in direction. As I sit and listen to the wind start to pick up outside and as I watch the curtains begin to flap uncontrollably at my open windows, I wonder…why did God go into His treasury of wind and send this blustery, blowing wind this time? Is it for me? Is it for you? What does the wind of His Spirit need to blow into or out of your life? Are you praying for the WIND?
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