His Winnowing Fork
I baptize you with water unto repentance: but he that cometh after me is mightier than I, whose shoes I am not worthy to bear: he shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost, and with fire: whose winnowing fork [fan] is in his hand, and he will thoroughly purge his floor, and gather his wheat into the garner; but he will burn up the chaff with unquenchable fire. Matthew 3:11-12 (KJV)
FAN: A two-fold instrument used for winnowing grain. One fan is like a fork used to throw the grain to the wind so the chaff may be blown away: the other fan is used to produce wind when the air is too calm (so the fork can be used again).
It seems like a strange verse to speak into my life and it hardly seems comforting; yet I find it very comforting for it reminds me that He is in control. His winnowing fork is in His hand. Like grain, my life is tossed into the wind so the chaff can be blown from the wheat. And when the air is too calm, His fan stirs the wind so He can throw the grain once again. He is thoroughly purging His threshing floor and making the ground useful – smoothing it off and beating it down. I am the wheat He’s gathering into His barn; a pure and abundant harvest. This verse speaks of the chaos but reminds me that He’s good, He knows what He”s doing, I’m in His process, and all is well. I will come out clean. He is removing the chaff in me, making a pure and holy habitation. I trust Him to do this work. I cannot control happenstance, strengthen weakness, or open my eyes; only God can baptize me with the Holy Ghost and fire. I consciously step aside – once again – to watch Him do what only He can do. I am loved, I can rest.