The Flight of the Dove

The dove has been present as a Biblical bird since the days of Noah.  When Jesus was baptized the Heavenly Father sent the Holy Spirit to him in bodily form as a dove. It descended from the opened heavens and alighted on Jesus and remained on him. (Mat. 3:16; Mark1:10; Luke 3:22; and John 1:32). Knowing that fact, I was thrilled when a friend of mine gave me the following testimony:

“I’ve known the Lord for years, and have been seeking more and more of Him.  This has been a particularly tough year for me because of several deaths in my extended family, and some serious physical problems and subsequent surgery.  But one constant help has been my awareness that God is with me.  In recent months He has treated me to the experience of seeing a dove fly by me.  If I am outside it swoops above my head or if I am in the house or driving, it flies by the window.  This happens several times a week just at the times where my spirit needs a lift, a touch from God.  I know in my head that God will never leave me nor forsake me, but this visual symbol of His presence is a sweet gift.”

So consider this:  The Holy Spirit is with you, in you, and around you.

                            You may not see it — but then again you may.

Think of the Holy Spirit as a dove perched on your shoulder.  Stay in the sphere of God’s peace so you don’t startle the bird. You don’t want your angst to cause it to fly away.  Notice that the Psalmist Asaph (74:19), prayed: “God, don’t hand over your dove [your Holy Spirit] to those wild beasts [my sin nature.]” 

David painted a word picture of this divine dove in Ps. 68:13 :  “The wings of God’s dove are sheathed with silver and its feathers with shining gold.” So, when you are in the midst of stress and discouragement, meditate on this:  you have the Holy Spirit dove on your shoulder, shining with silver and gold, and God will not hand that dove over to the “wild beasts” in your life.  The dove is yours, a gift from God through Christ.  Ask for Him, and you will receive, because that endowment is the desire of the Heavenly Father. (Mat. 7., John 16.)

In Christ,