Why a Windmill?

Clyde Fant tells the story of a traveler who comes across an abandoned sod hut near Oglalla, Nebraska, in the days of the westward expansion of our country. Outside of that hut was a sign that read, "This would be a great land if only there were water." A bitter old sodbuster who had probably lost everything added to that thought, "Yeah, and so would Hell." What they didn't know was that under their feet lay the Oglalla aquifer with enough water to cover all fifty states in a foot and a half of water.

On a farm, the windmill is the source of life. It brings forth life-giving water from deep in the earth. The problem with windmills is that they are absolutely useless without the wind. No wind, no water, NO LIFE.

John Paul Carter says that the church is like a windmill, "...when the wind of God's spirit blows, the mill will catch the breeze, the blades will turn, and living water will flow!" What a great picture of the church, of what we are supposed to be in an arid land. In the same way that the windmill is useless without wind, the church is useless without the movement of the Holy Spirit.

Unlike those travelers on the great plains, we know the source of Living water, if we will only be attentive and obedient to the wind of God's Spirit. The Holy Spirit brings life to a congregation and to all those who wish to partake of Living water. We seek to follow the call of the Holy Spirit in every word and deed we do.

On the last and greatest day of the Feast, Jesus stood and said in a load voice, "If anyone is thirsty, let them come to me and drink. Whoever believes in me, as the scripture has said, streams of living water will flow from within them." ~ John 7 : 37 - 38