Dead in the Water

 

Dead in the Water

When the day of Pentecost had come, they were all together in one place. ² And suddenly there came from heaven a noise like a violent rushing wind, and it filled the whole house where they were sitting. (Acts 2:1-2 – NASB)

We have all seen pictures of those old “Tall Ships” that operated on wind power alone.

Sometimes those ships had to endure periods in which there was no wind for days at a time. The term used for a ship in that situation was that she was “dead in the water.”  The sailors were stranded in one spot till the wind started to blow again.

On the day of Pentecost the coming of the Holy Spirit is described as a noise like a violent rushing wind.

A wind like that may put one of those Tall Ships in some danger, but it certainly would not be “dead in the water.”

May I suggest that many of our modern churches today are “dead in the water,” or at least many of their members are? There is no movement of the Spirit in their lives; they are not moved by the Spirit to engage in evangelism, works of service, or acts of mercy. Their lives are static and they have never uttered an “Amen!” in a church service in their lives. They are “dead in the water.”

In the Old Testament a message was delivered to a man named Zerubbabel we could well apply to our hearts today:

‘Not by might nor by power, but by My Spirit,’ says the Lord of hosts.’ (Zechariah 4:6b – NASB)

If we did, there would not be so many of us sitting “dead in the water.” The “wind of God” would move us to do mighty deeds in His Name.

Dead in the Water

(© Tuesday 17^th June 2014 – by Christopher Shennan)

I’d been “dead in the water” for years;

Nothing stirred in my soul to be true.

My heart was not touched or inspired

To love and be worshiping You.

 

I went to church often, it’s true;

And often I’d say a long prayer –

I was asked to do a great deal,

But the power of God was not there.

 

I was not content in those days,

With the way things happened to be –

I called on You Lord, in earnest –

And in no time You answered me.

 

The Wind of the Spirit then blew,

Softer at first and then stronger;

The sails of my heart then billowed:

The “deadness” was there no longer.

(Picture by Kerri McKinnon – Used with permission)

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