By: Gabriela Yareliz
The wind has been jogging my memory, lately.
Have you ever been on a walk and been pushed by the wind? I guess what is worse is when you end up walking against a gust that makes you levitate.
Everyone who has been in NYC knows these streets turn into wind tunnels. Poor design. I read somewhere that somewhere in Europe someone designed a city based on geometric perfection and harmony. (This affected the architecture and placement of buildings). If that is true, it’s equally true that whoever designed NYC did it to induce panic and mayhem. A big Gotham fan, I am sure.
Even despite the fact that we live in a wind tunnel that blasts us without hesitation, the wind has been even stranger and stronger lately.
I thought it was just here— but a woman I follow in Montana said the other day that she was surprised there was no snow yet— but what they have had are hurricane force winds.
This adds up, I thought to myself. Must be some massive weather phenomenon.
Now, what I will say below is not said for biblical interpretation, but I am simply sharing some thoughts that crossed my mind. I was sitting in the car feeling the wind push the car into a slight swerve, seeing the yellow leaves get blown off of the trees and swept in rolling waves down the highway ramp, when my thoughts turned to Revelation 7.
Revelation 7 paints us a picture of the end of time, where God’s angels “hold back” the “four winds of the earth” while standing on the “four corners of the earth” in a time of grace, while God’s people are sealed.
The holding back of wind is a symbol of grace and divine protection. An avid reader of Scripture knows that wind is also a symbol of the Holy Spirit, who allows us our breath and life. It is the same spirit that rose Christ from the grave that dwells in us. (Romans 8:11) God, Himself.
We know wind can be an agent of destruction. It can cause insane damage, even outside of a hurricane. It breaks what is weak and without foundation. It can also move things quite quickly. It can make a tree bare in a matter of minutes. It can make things change shape. The other day, I saw a black mesh used for scaffolding projects ripple like it had waves in the wind against a building. The building looked like it had another shape.
The wild winds remind me of that scene in The Holiday— Santa Ana winds mean anything can happen. It can blow something in your eye, and it can also be the magic that changes everything. Just last January, we prayed for the winds to stop in LA, as the wind seemed like the most powerful agent of spread for the fires. Winds can change everything.
As I watched the wind howl through the trees, I thought of how the Holy Spirit barrels through the streets, seeking any heart that will allow it to make its home there. It seeks to move us forward and propel us in faith. And in its force, it reminds us to be ready for what is to come. For the winds will be held back a while longer— in grace. But are we ready for the time when nothing will be held back? When the wind’s judgment comes to cleanse and sweep aside what is not solid? Will we recognize the signs and see it move among us?
Will something stir our hearts with certainty when we see it? Will we feel comforted like a person warm and dry inside of a home in a storm? Will we feel fear and hear its final scream like a person chasing a storm?
When I observe the wind, I am reminded of all that can come from it; all we must be transformed to be.
A phenomenon is coming, and it won’t just be reflected in the natural world we can see. It will force us to grapple with our hearts and the world, once the fragile and unrooted debris is blown away. It will be less about what has blown away like ash and more about what is left standing.
GABRIELA YARELIZ 