Hi all – I love to reflect on Scripture and write devotions around them and revel in the what Christ has done for us. Accordingly, this is the first blog within a new blog category for me. I know…. blogs should be topically focused and I am up to a half dozen blog topics now.. Oh well… feel free of course to skip topics that are not of interest. My non-Christian friends – you may not want to read this… but I hope you do. Will
Sending us a Comforter
John 14:15 “If you love me, you will keep my commandments. 16 And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Helper, to be with you forever, 17 even the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees him nor knows him. You know him, for he dwells with you and will be in you.”
Reflection
In these verses we beautifully see all three persons of the Godhead at work in grace for the believer. The Father determines long before creation to redeem fallen humanity, to reverse the fall, and to make sons and daughters out of rebels and enemies. The Father sends the Son to do for us what we could never do for ourselves, to satisfy the penalty of the death that fallen mankind deserves, and to fulfill for us through the life and work of Christ every aspect of righteousness that He requires of us. At our conversion it is the God the Holy Spirit that comes and creates new life in us, making us hate our sin and turn from it, and to turn to Christ. The Spirit is from the day of our conversion alive in us, giving us love for God and delight in His commandments. Over and over we are reminded in Scripture that God does not seek the obedience of servants but rather he desires sons and daughter who with full hearts live our lives in joyful and loving service for God’s glory. Our unbelieving friends may think that Christianity is about rules, and performance, and earning God’s favor, but the redeemed child of God knows differently. Our new life is not one of measuring up, but a life of love and adoption that has been completely won for us by Christ. We do not obey to be accepted, we obey because we are accepted! How could we not want to keep His commandments? It is no wonder that Christ proclaims that to love God is to obey and that obedience is an expression of love. Our lives are transformed by love. We have become a living (vitally alive) sacrifice for God.
Despite these wonderful things, we are very aware that we have not yet arrived in heaven. We are still sinful and we know it all too well. We live in a battle zone. Sin presses in on us daily. The world, the flesh, and the devil all battle for our affections, our thoughts, and our actions. The disciples experienced this battle and knew all too well how ill prepared they would be to keep Christ’s commands without Christ remaining in their midst. They must have been absolutely terrified to think of Christ departing. Oh, how they loved Jesus, but how fearful they were for him to leave. But for these verses, we as well might have wondered if God’s presence with us was to be withdrawn with Christ’s return to the Father. Jesus knew this and He revealed something amazing and wonderful. Christ will ask the Father to bless His people with a great and profound gift. God the Holy Spirit will remain with God’s people. What will the Spirit do? He will help us, pray for us, make the Scripture alive to us, bring us truth, meet us in the sacraments, testify of Christ and His work, inspire love of God within us, and cause us to long for Christ’s return and completion upon that day. How will the Spirit do these things? He will not simply stay with us, but He will also dwell within us. How long will the Spirit remain with us? Forever! He will be our eternal comforter! To be a Christian is to have God indwell us – forever!
Prayer: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, how greatly blessed we are. We are chosen by the Father, redeemed by the Son, and indwelt by your Spirit. How amazing you are!
By Will Frye – Jan 4, 2017