Ahhhhhh, the beach…  It’s a place of pleasant reflection and somber consideration, especially in the “off-season.”  We head for the beaches of the North and South Carolina coasts most falls.  There are fewer people there, the prices are a little more reasonable, and the weather is often just right – great for walking or sitting, but not necessarily for swimming.

One of my favorite beach activities is kite-flying.  There’s something about holding a string to which the wind is attached!  Oh, I know there’s a brightly colored kite at the end of that line, but it is completely dependent on the flow of the unseen air.  It responds to every little movement and change.  As I stand on the sand, watching the little sailing vessel bob and weave, I have a sense that I’m holding the wind in my hand.

Depending on the weather, I almost like kiting better than fishing.  Of course, if there’s no wind, it’s the same as when there are no fish.  But the secrets of the upper air that the kite reveals are similar to those under the waves, and the tug on the line can be almost as strong.  It’s certainly longer-lasting than most of the fishing battles I’ve waged.

The other thing about “holding the wind” is that it reminds me of the Spirit’s work in us.  I’ve blogged about it in a previous post (read it here).  The wind is invisible, and so is the work of the Holy Spirit if we don’t stay connected, so to speak.  Jesus’ words in John 3:1-12 have intrigued me often since I first read them.  He speaks to a very learned Jewish holy-man, and leaves him in the proverbial dust when he begins to describe the behavior of the Spirit.  “The wind blows wherever it pleases. You hear its sound, but you cannot tell where it comes from or where it is going. So it is with everyone born of the Spirit.”  Nicodemus responds in a way that reveals that he’s never held a line that tugs with the movement of the Spirit’s wind.  “How can this be?”

Faith is a mysterious thing.  When a Christian moves at the Spirit’s bidding, they might make no sense to the folks around them, just like the wind.  The actions may make some sort of sense, but not to those with a different mindset and priorities.  It’s a different form of mysterious behavior than someone who might be described as free as a bird, or who flits around like a butterfly.  That’s why I like the kite analogy.

Kites are moved by the wind, not their own will.  And they are anchored to the ground, or they will fall like a leaf from an autumn tree.  Christians are described in Scripture as being moved by the Spirit, and anchored to something very solid – their hope (faith).  The author of Hebrews put it like this.  “We have this hope as an anchor for the soul, firm and secure. It enters the inner sanctuary behind the curtain,” (Heb. 6:19).  If you read the rest of the passage (here), you’ll find that “behind the curtain” refers to the heavenly sanctuary, a place of ultimate safety, security, peace, and love!

So, in my hand on that wonderful day at the beach, I held something that reminded me of both my freedom to move as the Spirit moves, and the anchor of my soul, which keeps me secured and aloft at the same time, enjoying the fresh wind.

No wonder I like to fly kites!