Symbols of the Holy Spirit 6:

Cloud and rain

And the Lord went before them by day in a pillar of cloud to lead them along the way, and by night in a pillar of fire to give them light, that they might travel by day and by night. Exodus 13:21 ESVUK

And when the song was raised, with trumpets and cymbals and other musical instruments, in praise to the Lord,
“For he is good,
for his steadfast love endures for ever,”
the house, the house of the Lord, was filled with a cloud, 14 so that the priests could not stand to minister because of the cloud, for the glory of the Lord filled the house of God. 2 Chronicles 5:13–14

The cloud is a sign of the Holy Spirit and also for the presence of God. Clouds are the bringers of rain, of refreshment. Rain is also a picture of the Holy Spirit, so I am tackling it here with cloud, rather than with living water, which was the previous blog in this series.

When the prophet Joel was talking about early rain and later rain he was talking about real rain, but he went on to prophesy the Holy Spirit coming on all flesh. The Holy Spirit is to be poured out like rain, says Joel. This Spirit was poured out on the Church at Pentecost. If you are a Christian you have the Holy Spirit. Good news.

The same Holy Spirit that led Israel through the desert to the promised land is living in you. The Spirit of God can lead you too.

The same Holy Spirit who came into the Jerusalem temple in such power that the priests were unable to stand is in you, your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit.

For those who do not know the power of the Holy Spirit in their lives, I ask you to welcome her*, it is as easy as saying the words Holy Spirit come. If you like prayers more formal than that there is a longer version below.

-o0o-

I encourage you to welcome the Holy Spirit into your life.
Begin to voice your love, ask her to help you recognize her presence
And just close your eyes and be still, her presence will come
You are her sheep, her sheep hear her voice.
Her presence causes peace, repentance, laughter and sometimes just awe as you feel her breeze on, in, and through you.
Please don’t give up
But relax and enjoy loving the Lord as you wait.

Holy Spirit come.

*Female pronouns for the Holy Spirit because the word for Spirit in Hebrew is feminine. I do not like to use it for the Holy Spirit because she is personal.

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