Ride the Wave of the Spirit

I was delighted to see surfers on the Bagasbas beach in Daet, Camarines Norte. In the Philippines, surfing is quite rare. Since the Bagasbas shore is facing the Pacific, the waves are there. Both local and foreign surfers were riding the waves! They were patiently waiting and sensing for the right wave. And when the wave came, they had to act immediately, or they'd miss it.

Surfing the net, I came across a comment on how one feels when riding a wave:

There’s no greater feeling than surfing and that feeling of being part of the ocean, really riding on top of the world. Surfing’s freedom, adventure and creativity rolled into one. It’s easy to see why surfers love surfing so much and I also love teaching newbies to surf so they can experience that joy. There’s only one place you can get that feeling and it’s in the surf.
-Annabel Candy

Much of what Annabel Candy was describing relates to living in the Holy Spirit.

1. In the Spirit, there is freedom!
When we live in the Holy Spirit, indeed adventure and creativity is rolled into one. The Spirit is always fresh, never boring, mysterious in His ways, and ever relevant. The Holy Spirit puts us at the edge of our seats, waiting in anticipation for His move. When the Spirit blows, we've got to catch His wave --and experience Freedom!  "Where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom! (Darrel Evans, Freedom)."  When things seem routinary, lifeless, and dry, let us examine our lives.  We might be imprisoned by our sinfulness. Sin leads us to the wrong ocean, where the Wind doesn't blow. Sin makes us content of paddling instead of riding the waves.

2. A life in the Spirit is a life shared.
Once we have recieved the Spirit in our lives, we have to share it. We have to teach others how to "surf and catch the wave."   The Holy Spirit was promised by the Lord, and given in Pentecost to strengthen the community and embolden them to spread the Gospel.

But you will receive power when the holy Spirit comes upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, throughout Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth. Acts 1:8

Once they caught the tsunami wave of Holy Spirit during Pentecost, the gospel spread -- like never before. 

Acts 2: 38. Peter [said] to them, “Repent and be baptized,* every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins; and you will receive the gift of the holy Spirit.

v.41Those who accepted his message were baptized, and about three thousand persons were added that day.

I can only imagine if the Apostles did not proclaim the Gospel after recieving the Spirit. It would have been impossible, since the joy cannot be contained -- it was too much it had to oveflow to all of humanity.

3. The Wave will come. We cannot create it.

The wind blows where it wills, and you can hear the sound it makes, but you do not know where it comes from or where it goes; so it is with everyone who is born of the Spirit. John 3:8

Through prayer, we wait upon the Holy Spirit. Sometimes it comes almost immediately, at times it teaches us to be patient -- to wait for His Power. Those who cannot wait---those who don't pray---try to make their own waves, their own wind. But like anything that is fake, it always fall short of the authentic -- and it shows. When on mission, we have to ride with the wave of the Spirit. Go where it blows and when it blows.  As they say, In His time.

Let us ride on the Wave of the Spirit! It's the best way to live.