This week as I send-off a college freshman, junior, and senior, I find myself talking to God a lot in order to feel the comfort that my Mama heart greatly needs. Today, He responded with “wind,” so I searched for scripture with that word. I discovered there are 113 verses about wind! I quickly read through them all to see if anything stood out that God was trying to tell me, and there it was…control. That’s it!
Not only is God the creator of the wind, but He has control over it. There are 25 verses that mention God dispensing wind. It is powerful. It is strong. It can’t be seen, but it can change situations and lives. In the Bible, God uses the wind’s strength to show His power, but He also uses His ability to calm it to prove His love and control. (Psalm 78:26, Exodus 10:13-14, Jeremiah 10:13, Psalm 107:25, Matthew 8:23-27, Psalm 107:28-29)
When I see pictures of dandelion seeds being blown, it reminds me of the parent/child relationship—the flower is like the parents who planted deep roots, while the seeds represent the children going off into the world to build lives of their own, blooming in the directions they were blown. Today, I have added a missing piece to that analogy—wind. Without it, new blossoms would only happen near the parent plant, which would choke them all, inhibiting growth. God is like the wind that lifts those seeds; He is a force we cannot see, yet gently carries them to where they need to be and catches or relocates them if they land too soon. I point my kids into the directions I think are best, but that may not be where they end up. They might settle quickly or get re-directed down different paths before taking root. Either is okay, because they are being guided and held by the One who is in control…and I need to remind myself - that’s not me.
Join our Facebook Group, Encouragement for Parents of College Kids (Letting Go Letting God) Be sure to get your copy of Letting Go Letting God: 30 Day Devotional for Moms of College Freshmen. I'd love to hear from you with comments, questions, and prayer requests. Jena@lettinggolettinggod.com