I always wanted to fly a kite. Thanks to the expectations established by Mary Poppins, I thought it seemed a wonderful experience. However, I remember being sorely disappointed when I tried it myself. Michael Banks made it look much easier.
Since April is National Kite Flying Month, I thought it would be a good time to reflect on how much a simple kite can teach us about our spiritual walk. Mind you, I’m not going to even pretend to understand all the technicalities of kite flying (apparently, there are a lot). But instead, I want to focus on two points: the air and the tethering string.
The Air
We take air for granted. Yet it’s always there. Giving us oxygen we need for life, and it’s a constant presence no matter where we are. Just as it’s impossible for us to live without air, so is it impossible for us to live without God.
Philippians 4:13 says, “For I can do everything through Christ, who gives me strength.” And Isaiah 40:31 says, “But those who trust in the Lord will find new strength. They will soar high on wings like eagles. They will run and not grow weary. They will walk and not faint.”
Isn’t it comforting to know that we have a God who can hold us up? Who is empowering us throughout every challenge? We may not see the air, but just as it is a constant presence, so is our Heavenly Father. He’s empowered us through His Spirit, and through Him we can trust Him to help us in every situation.
The Tethering String
The momentum and wind that lift a kite are irrelevant without that tethering string. Without it, all you have is a colorful frame of fabric that is blown away by the wind. The tether string is what enables the kite to dance in the sky without being lost.
To whom are you tethered?
We can try to tie ourselves to other people or things, and maybe they’ll help us fly for a while. But they will never have the endurance to keep us flying, especially when the wind picks up and grows fierce.
They will lose control of the kite, and we will come crashing down. End of story.
But when we tether ourselves to Jesus, the Holy Spirit will guide us. He will allow us to soar, and if we start to wobble, He will reel us back in to protect us from trouble. And He is strong enough to hold us through any strong breeze—even hurricane-force winds. When we let the Holy Spirit be our tether, He can do great and beautiful things with our lives.
Psalm 139:7-10 says, “I can never escape from your Spirit! I can never get away from your presence! If I go up to heaven, you are there; if I go down to the grave, you are there. If I ride the wings of the morning, if I dwell by the farthest oceans, even there your hand will guide me, and your strength will support me.”
Isn’t that a beautiful truth?
How does that encourage your heart? When the winds of life toss us about, and it feels like we’re going to be destroyed by the turbulence, we only need to remember that tethering string. It cannot be broken. It cannot be cut. Once we are saved and tethered to the Holy Spirit, we cannot be undone.
We can also trust He will lift us up and enable us to soar.
