Strands of thought based on hymn 393 in Singing the Faith – She Sits Like a Bird – insights into the person of the Holy Spirit
No.1 “She sits like a bird, brooding on the waters… “
At the start of the Bible the Spirit of God, moves on the face of the waters, active in the Creation, ready to fulfil the word of the Word, Jesus. The word used for Spirit is a Hebrew word – ruach. It is a precious word, dear to many people, as it is often interpreted in a more female manner. Creator God made us all in his own image. As the Trinity of Father, Son and Ruach we can understand how he knows and values us all, man and woman together.
Jesus echoes this understanding when he laments over Jerusalem, saying how he yearns to gather the people together as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings to protect them; but they turned away. God is the best of parents, combining the best of male and female together; and that parenthood is for all who will accept it.
Ruach is a word of healing. It is right and Scriptural to address God as “Father”, but some people find it daunting to only have language of Father, Lord, King. It’s sad but for many people the word “father” generates bad memories, even fear and can be a barrier to belief and commitment. This is when Ruach, the Spirit who mothers creation, working with the Father in love to produce a world which is good and full of potential, comes into play. Giving another aspect of God, ruach can break barriers of past experience of bad parenting and show the hope for a world of Grace.
“…mothering creation, waiting to give birth to all the Word will say.”