“The next day John saw Jesus coming toward him and said, “Look, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world! This is the one I meant when I said, ‘A man who comes after me has surpassed me because he was before me.’ I myself did not know him, but the reason I came baptizing with water was that he might be revealed to Israel. Then John gave this testimony: ‘I saw the Spirit come down from heaven as a dove and remain on him. And I myself did not know him, but the one who sent me to baptize with water told me, ‘The man on whom you see the Spirit come down and remain is the one who will baptize with the Holy Spirit.’ I have seen and I testify that this is God’s Chosen One.’” John 1:29-34 (NIV)

When I was a young child my parents from time to time would take my younger sister and I to feed the pigeons at Bayfront Park in Miami. Upon arrival my father would purchase a small bag of peanuts and we were ready to feed the pigeons! I can recall the pigeons approaching us rapidly and sometimes I felt afraid. As a child I found the birds to be aggressive in the sense that they wanted the peanuts and they wanted them now! They would walk up to you as fast as they could sometimes 4 or 5 at a time while one or more would be attempting to land on your head! As I think back, they were extremely nervous and fidgety, and they never really seemed to calm down! When they landed on you, they dug in hard attempting to hold on tight! That hurt! I did not like that part of it! However, I loved the green grass in the park, and I loved to see the boats on the water at the edge of the park. It is a sweet memory. So, here is my point: Pigeons are often mistaken for Doves!

Doves are quite different from pigeons, they are not fidgety, and I would find it hard to believe they would fly and rest on anyone much less stay there. Did you know that a Dove especially a turtledove is hypersensitive and very shy? Pigeons are loud and boisterous – they are not shy as I learned as a child. Turtledoves never fight, pigeons fight all the time! Turtledoves cannot stand noise and they are afraid of humans!

They cannot be trained, nor can they be domesticated. Once let out of a gage they will not return unless there is no other source of food. Doves mate for life! As with the Holy Spirit - Doves do not adjust to humans we have to adjust to them! That is if we want them/Him to stay! It is extremely easy for a Dove to be upset and fly away. Just as it is when the Spirit is quenched or grieved! I find it amazing that God used a Dove to represent the Holy Spirit! We have much to glean here!

LIFE Tool: Are you adjusting to the Holy Spirit or are you expecting Him to adjust to you? Keep in mind that we must adjust to the Holy Spirit – He is not going to adjust to us! Think about it!

(sw-h)

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