The video above is footage of something I didn’t know existed until a couple days ago. It’s called an Aeolian Harp–which is a harp that is built outside, specially tuned, and then played only by the wind. That’s right–no one touches it. And it sounds like something out of a modern synthesizer. Evidently it’s an ancient thing.
What led me to look it up was the quote below, which I read in a passage about how to study the Holy Spirit. The author was discussing why it’s difficult to “study” the Holy Spirit–and it has a lot to do with who He is–as a person, as a Spirit, as God. For instance, since the Spirit is a person (as opposed to a force or something) he can’t be reduced to a set of facts to memorize. You have to get to know him. And since he’s God , you have to get to know him on his terms.
…and it seems like his terms have more to do with him living through us–enlivening us, filling us, directing us–then for us to pin him down. And so, here’s that quote:
“The Spirit is breath. The wind sings in the trees.
I would like, then, to be an Aeolian harp and let the breath of God make the strings vibrate and sing.
Let me stretch and tune the strings – that will be the austere task to research.
And let the Spirit make them sing a clear and tuneful song of prayer and life!”
What an image! The true study of the Holy Spirit is to “stretch” and “tune” the “strings” of our lives so that we are a fit instrument for him to play. And then…Let the Wind blow where it wishes!
Do I really want to know him? Am I willing to let him play his song through me?