A Glory Seed Devotional
The Holy Spirit as a Swan?

From the crack of dawn until my very last yawn I thought yesterday was going to be a bad day. “This is the day the Lord has made, I will rejoice and be glad in it,” was on my mind but I had closed the door to my heart. As the minutes ticked away so did my chances of escaping the darkness that was preventing the SON from shining on my day. Around 10:30 AM I mounted my trusty steed (my bike) and escaped into the wild for some quiet time with the Lord after all if this was the day he created I thought maybe he could pull me back into it.

As I peddled my bike my thoughts centered around how strong yet how fragile my relationship with God really is (he owns the strong side I own the fragile side). The following verses from Psalms 77 pretty much describe my silent prayer as I rode toward the Nature Preserve near our home. “Will the Lord spurn forever, and never again be favorable? Has his steadfast love forever ceased? Are his promises at an end for all time? Has God forgotten to be gracious? Has he in anger shut up his compassion?” Selah (Psalms 77:7-9 ESV)

Minutes later, I was sitting on a bench on the north side of the larger pond which protected me from the chill of the north wind. I retrieved my bible opened it and began reading Psalms 102 suddenly a family of swans, two adults and five young ones half way across the pond caught my attention. Several minutes later one of the adult swans began swimming toward me, unable to take my eyes off him I watched as he swam with 2 feet of the shoreline about 20 feet from where I was sitting, stopped and stared right at me and seemed to say, “I am here.” After staring at me for 30 seconds or so he stuck his head underwater pulled it out gave me a quick glance then turned and swam away.

I returned to reading Psalms 102 when I read, “For the LORD builds up Zion; he appears in his glory; he regards the prayer of the destitute and does not despise their prayer.” (Psalms 102:16-17 ESV) I suddenly realized the swan experience was set up by the Holy Spirit the words, “I am here,” were not the words of the swan to my imagination they were the words of the Spirit! And in the aftermath, the SON began shining on the remainder of my day. Even now as I write about my encounter with the swan, I can feel the comforting presence of the Holy Spirit.

One thing I have written in the past and will continue to remind you is that what the Lord does for me he will do for you as well. You may not be sitting overlooking a small pond and watch as a swan swims toward you with a message from the Holy Spirit but when you pour out and open your heart to the Lord somehow the Holy Spirit will reveal the presence of Jesus to you.

Grace and PEACE!
Gary

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“I lift up my eyes to the hills. From where does my help come?
My help comes from the LORD, who made heaven and earth.”
(Psalms 121:1-2)

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Scripture quotations marked ESV "Are from The Holy Bible, English Standard Version, copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a division of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved."