WILD
Have you ever thought of God as Wild? Wild: not tamed or domesticated, perhaps out
of control, Savage; uncivilized; not refined by culture; Turbulent; tempestuous; irregular;
disorderly; done without plan or order.
With a definition of wild like this we would definitely not use that word for the God of
order. But, is this definition from God’s perspective or from man’s perspective? Was this
definition not written through the lens of our sin nature. But God is without sin, so how
can He be defined in this manner as wild?
In Acts 2:1-4 we read about the first Pentecost after Jesus death, resurrection and
assentation. In verses 2-4 we read; 2 Suddenly a sound like the blowing of a violent wind came from heaven and filled the whole house where they were sitting. 3 They saw what seemed to be tongues of fire that separated and came to rest on each of them. 4 All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit enabled them.
Those of us who were in Cedar Rapids on August 10, 2020 have experienced violent,
destructive winds that wreaked havoc on so many people’s lives in a matter of minutes.
Honestly, as I read these verses in Acts about a wind that filled the whole house where
they were sitting, and was accompanied with fire, I am struck with the thought, there
was no terror, no one was hurt, nowhere do we read the building collapsed and people
or property were blown into the next county (or village). To me the lack of damage or
panic make to whole occurrence very wild, hard to believe, explain or imagine, yet Holy
Spirit had Luke write it the way it happened.
This wild event came on the heels of the death of Jesus, where we read about the
tearing of the temple curtain, the tombs opening and the dead arising (Matthew 27:51-
53). Then more wild events occurred the very dead Jesus was resurrected, seen alive
by many, walking, talking, eating, appearing and disappearing. Then He ascend (literally
rose) into Heaven (Acts 1:1-10)
We read this and accept it, but do we really think about what happened? It isn’t a fictious story with cool special effects; this happened and trustworthy people experienced it all.
Jesus fulfilled His promise to HIs bunch of rag tag followers that the Counselor would
come and history was changed forever. This event was so monumental it is recorded in
God’s word as the benchmark, a new standard by which people would live their lives, a
whole new way of life free from oppression of lies (Acts 2:36-42). People would no
longer have to try to figure out their relationship with YHWH and hope they had done
enough or sacrificed enough at the temple. Now Holy Spirit would dwell with us and in
us, the same Spirit will forever teach, remind and call us to Jesus. Can we even begin to
imagine, this very Spirit, who came to the Upper Room with wind and fire is the same
Spirit who was in the beginning,
Now the earth was formless and empty, darkness was over the surface of the
deep, and the Spirit of God was hovering over the waters. Genisis 1:2
Think about what the Word of God is telling us. This is not some antiquate history book
that we call the Bible, telling us cool stories. NO, this is the living Word that the third
person of the Godhead who enlightened so many to pen the history of the LORD God
Almighty, in our Holy Scriptures. That same Spirit in the beginning, hovered over the
waters (chaos) and brought about order out of nothing and recorded all their creation as
good. The same Spirit who come as a dove alighted on Jesus as he was baptized.
As soon as Jesus was baptized, he went up out of the water. At that moment heaven
was opened, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and alighting on him.
Matthew 3:16
The heavens opened, Holy Spirit came as a dove, the same Holy Spirit in Genesis 1,
the same Holy Spirit through the Old Testament, the same Holy Spirit that was behind
this phenomenal event, of wind and fire in Acts 2. The same Holy Spirit that we read
about in Acts 10 where He blows up Jewish tradition of separation from the world to
open the way for all people to come to know our Lord and Savior Jesus,
While Peter was still speaking these words, the Holy Spirit came on all who heard the
message. 45 The circumcised believers who had come with Peter were astonished that
the gift of the Holy Spirit had been poured out even on Gentiles. 46 For they heard them
speaking in tongues and praising God. Acts 10:44-46
The same Holy Spirit who enters each of us at our salvation and encourages us to invite
Him to dwell in us. The same Spirit that opens our heart and mind as we read God’s
word. Yes, the same Holy Spirit who is telling us, displaying for us, revealing to us, more
and more about Himself, The Father, and The Son. I can’t help but believe the God, the
triune God we confess is a God of wild, out of control love for His children from the
beginning of time to time eternal.
“I, Jesus, have sent my angel to give you this testimony for the churches. I am the
Root and the Offspring of David, and the bright Morning Star.†17 The Spirit and the bride say, “Come!†And let the one who hears say, “Come!†Let the one who is thirsty come; and let the one who wishes take the free gift of the water of life. Revelation 22:16-17
Do yourself a favor and welcome this wild, precious, beautiful, powerful, gentle, faithful,
gracious, merciful and loving Holy Spirit to dwells with and in you. Don’t ignore His
nudging for you to go deeper with Him, as He reveals more and more of the power that
awaits each of us to fall deeper and deeper in love with Jesus. This very Spirit who is
God is wild, yet gentle as a dove and is out of OUR control.
The Spirit searches all things, even the deep things of God. 11 For who knows a person’s thoughts except their own spirit within them? In the same way no one knows the thoughts of God except the Spirit of God. 12 What we have received is not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, so that we may understand what God has freely given us.
1 Corinthians 2:10-12
- Pastor Debra Munson
of control, Savage; uncivilized; not refined by culture; Turbulent; tempestuous; irregular;
disorderly; done without plan or order.
With a definition of wild like this we would definitely not use that word for the God of
order. But, is this definition from God’s perspective or from man’s perspective? Was this
definition not written through the lens of our sin nature. But God is without sin, so how
can He be defined in this manner as wild?
In Acts 2:1-4 we read about the first Pentecost after Jesus death, resurrection and
assentation. In verses 2-4 we read; 2 Suddenly a sound like the blowing of a violent wind came from heaven and filled the whole house where they were sitting. 3 They saw what seemed to be tongues of fire that separated and came to rest on each of them. 4 All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit enabled them.
Those of us who were in Cedar Rapids on August 10, 2020 have experienced violent,
destructive winds that wreaked havoc on so many people’s lives in a matter of minutes.
Honestly, as I read these verses in Acts about a wind that filled the whole house where
they were sitting, and was accompanied with fire, I am struck with the thought, there
was no terror, no one was hurt, nowhere do we read the building collapsed and people
or property were blown into the next county (or village). To me the lack of damage or
panic make to whole occurrence very wild, hard to believe, explain or imagine, yet Holy
Spirit had Luke write it the way it happened.
This wild event came on the heels of the death of Jesus, where we read about the
tearing of the temple curtain, the tombs opening and the dead arising (Matthew 27:51-
53). Then more wild events occurred the very dead Jesus was resurrected, seen alive
by many, walking, talking, eating, appearing and disappearing. Then He ascend (literally
rose) into Heaven (Acts 1:1-10)
We read this and accept it, but do we really think about what happened? It isn’t a fictious story with cool special effects; this happened and trustworthy people experienced it all.
Jesus fulfilled His promise to HIs bunch of rag tag followers that the Counselor would
come and history was changed forever. This event was so monumental it is recorded in
God’s word as the benchmark, a new standard by which people would live their lives, a
whole new way of life free from oppression of lies (Acts 2:36-42). People would no
longer have to try to figure out their relationship with YHWH and hope they had done
enough or sacrificed enough at the temple. Now Holy Spirit would dwell with us and in
us, the same Spirit will forever teach, remind and call us to Jesus. Can we even begin to
imagine, this very Spirit, who came to the Upper Room with wind and fire is the same
Spirit who was in the beginning,
Now the earth was formless and empty, darkness was over the surface of the
deep, and the Spirit of God was hovering over the waters. Genisis 1:2
Think about what the Word of God is telling us. This is not some antiquate history book
that we call the Bible, telling us cool stories. NO, this is the living Word that the third
person of the Godhead who enlightened so many to pen the history of the LORD God
Almighty, in our Holy Scriptures. That same Spirit in the beginning, hovered over the
waters (chaos) and brought about order out of nothing and recorded all their creation as
good. The same Spirit who come as a dove alighted on Jesus as he was baptized.
As soon as Jesus was baptized, he went up out of the water. At that moment heaven
was opened, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and alighting on him.
Matthew 3:16
The heavens opened, Holy Spirit came as a dove, the same Holy Spirit in Genesis 1,
the same Holy Spirit through the Old Testament, the same Holy Spirit that was behind
this phenomenal event, of wind and fire in Acts 2. The same Holy Spirit that we read
about in Acts 10 where He blows up Jewish tradition of separation from the world to
open the way for all people to come to know our Lord and Savior Jesus,
While Peter was still speaking these words, the Holy Spirit came on all who heard the
message. 45 The circumcised believers who had come with Peter were astonished that
the gift of the Holy Spirit had been poured out even on Gentiles. 46 For they heard them
speaking in tongues and praising God. Acts 10:44-46
The same Holy Spirit who enters each of us at our salvation and encourages us to invite
Him to dwell in us. The same Spirit that opens our heart and mind as we read God’s
word. Yes, the same Holy Spirit who is telling us, displaying for us, revealing to us, more
and more about Himself, The Father, and The Son. I can’t help but believe the God, the
triune God we confess is a God of wild, out of control love for His children from the
beginning of time to time eternal.
“I, Jesus, have sent my angel to give you this testimony for the churches. I am the
Root and the Offspring of David, and the bright Morning Star.†17 The Spirit and the bride say, “Come!†And let the one who hears say, “Come!†Let the one who is thirsty come; and let the one who wishes take the free gift of the water of life. Revelation 22:16-17
Do yourself a favor and welcome this wild, precious, beautiful, powerful, gentle, faithful,
gracious, merciful and loving Holy Spirit to dwells with and in you. Don’t ignore His
nudging for you to go deeper with Him, as He reveals more and more of the power that
awaits each of us to fall deeper and deeper in love with Jesus. This very Spirit who is
God is wild, yet gentle as a dove and is out of OUR control.
The Spirit searches all things, even the deep things of God. 11 For who knows a person’s thoughts except their own spirit within them? In the same way no one knows the thoughts of God except the Spirit of God. 12 What we have received is not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, so that we may understand what God has freely given us.
1 Corinthians 2:10-12
- Pastor Debra Munson