“When the Counselor has come, whom I will send to you from the Father, the Spirit of truth, who proceeds from the Father, he will testify about me. You will also testify, because you have been with me from the beginning.†John 15:26-27 (WEB)
Jesus speaks such rich words! Here in John’s gospel, Jesus is overflowing with important stuff for the disciples to remember in the years to come after Jesus has gone to the Father. Important words for me to remember!
The Counselor, the Paraclete, that comes directly from the Father – His very Spirit – will tell them about Jesus. The Spirit will remind them of words they may not have understood at the time they heard them. The words will be Truth; personal knowledge of Jesus. The words will stand in evidence of Who and What Jesus is.
My husband has studied and absorbed God’s Word most of his life. Even after seminary when he turned from God, the Word of God was deeply rooted within him. And the Spirit of God was ready and waiting so that when Henry turned back to God – the Spirit testified to Henry about Jesus. Henry’s spirit recognized the Spirit of God as truth.
In my worse moments, the Spirit speaks to my spirit far beyond what words could describe. The Spirit is unafraid to go down into that pit with me and bring the Light of God to show me the way out.
“You WILL testifyâ€, Jesus says. Why? Because I know. Jesus is real and personal to me. He is in my life and I look at the world and see the pain and suffering and I know that Jesus is the only One who saves. Jesus is the only One who can heal that kind of pain and give life. I do not believe you will find me on a street corner shouting Scripture but I pray that you see me walking my life as a living testimony. I will testify to what I know.
For all the fullness [of God] was pleased to dwell in him; [Jesus] and through him to reconcile all things to himself, by him, whether things on the earth, or things in the heavens, having made peace through the blood of his cross.
You, being in past times alienated and enemies in your mind in your evil works, yet now he has reconciled in the body of his flesh through death, to present you holy and without blemish and blameless before him, if it is so that you continue in the faith, grounded and steadfast, and not moved away from the hope of the Good News which you heard, which is being proclaimed in all creation under heaven; of which I, Paul, [and Jody] were made servant(s). Colossians 1:19-23 (WEB, my emphasis)
