Birds fill me with wonder. There seems to be an almost infinite variety of them from the little ruby throated hummingbirds we attract with our feeders to the owls who add a spooky commentary to the night.
I love the endless variety of sea birds and I have passed many hours at the helm watching them play among the waves. The pelicans in close formation follow each other skimming just over the tops of the waves. Solitary terns soar effortlessly. Cormorants, with their tiny wings, struggle as much as to stay in the air as they glide effortlessly beneath the waves.
In the Bible we read, “The Spirit descended upon him as a dove.”
This image fascinates me. The Spirit didn’t descend as an eagle or a bird of prey. It didn’t flit around like a sparrow or hover like a hummingbird. It wasn’t looking for crumbs to steal like a pigeon or a sea gull. The Spirit isn’t arrogant or gawky like a raven. The Spirit is gentle like a dove.
Doves strike me as patient birds. They will sit for hours just watching their world. So, the Holy Spirit is patient with me. He doesn’t give up on me. Instead the Spirit patiently waits for me to come to my senses again.
Likewise, nothing is as harmless as a dove. Unlike the demon spirits of old who tried to throw a child into the fire or into the sea (Matthew 17:15). The Spirit of God is not violent, but gently does His work leading me into a life of holiness.
The Holy Spirit isn’t a showy peacock, a proud eagle, or a pesky pigeon. The Spirit is a quiet dove.