And if the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead lives in you, then he who raised Christ from the dead will also bring your mortal bodies to life through his Spirit who lives in you.

Roman 8:11 CSB

Who can see the wind? No one. We only see the effects of wind.

Chinook winds are common every winter around Boulder, Colorado. Chinook winds are warm, dry, and blow from the west down mountain ranges. Boulder lies on the eastern slope of the Rocky Mountains, perfectly located for chinooks. Typically, the air temperature rises to between fifty and seventy degrees before dramatically falling.

My family’s newly constructed home was tested by severe chinook winds the night of January 6, 1969. Sustained winds of 70-80 miles per hour with gusts up to 130 mph raged for several hours. We lost electricity and heat. Our wood-burning fireplace was too dangerous to use. All five of us hunkered downstairs in an eastside room. No one slept.

We peeked out to observe the disastrous results of the ferocious, invisible wind. A fire raged on a nearby hill. We watched it but didn’t have to evacuate. Sirens blared and flying debris hit our house. Dawn brought calm and silence. Minor damage only. God had protected us, but we didn’t know to thank Him.

Sadly, one of our neighbors, a volunteer firefighter with a young family, lost his life.  A strong gust blew him off the back of a fire engine enroute to an emergency.

Similar to the wind that isn’t visible, the Holy Spirit lives unseen in Christ-followers. We can’t see Him but experience His power affecting our lives. Others can observe Him through us. Thank You, Jesus, for giving us a Helper.

This hope will not disappoint us, because God’s love has been poured out in our hearts through the Holy Spirit who was given to us (Romans 5:5).

Thank you, heavenly Father for letting us experience Your Spirit who lives in us.

Karen Sims