“I have said these things to you, while still living with you. But the Counselor, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, he will teach you all things, and will remind you of all that I said to you. Peace I leave with you. My peace I give to you; not as the world gives, give I to you. Don’t let your heart be troubled, neither let it be fearful. You heard how I told you, ‘I go away, and I come to you.’ If you loved me, you would have rejoiced, because I said ‘I am going to my Father;’ for the Father is greater than I.â€Â     John 14:25-28 (WEB)
This week reading and studying about the Holy Spirit has been an encouraging time for me. I needed that. Take a moment and read over this first Scripture and then close your eyes and imagine Jesus’ face, His eyes as He is saying these words.
I hear Jesus reassuring these disciples that He is not leaving them alone. He is keeping, what is for me, the #1 promise in Scripture: I will not leave you or forsake you. This is the promise that I reach out for in my darkest moments when I feel ‘doubt’ attempting to sneak in and sucker punch me. In just a few sentences, Jesus confirms that I will never be alone. He promises ‘peace’. Remember the peace promised in Proverbs? The fulfillment of the peace that exceeds my understanding! And then Jesus, to me, reminds me that He is God. “Do not be afraid, little one. I am the I AM, remember!â€
“I have yet many things to tell you, but you can’t bear them now. However when he, the Spirit of truth, has come, he will guide you into all truth, for he will not speak from himself; but whatever he hears, he will speak. He will declare to you things that are coming. He will glorify me, for he will take from what is mine, and will declare it to you. All things whatever the Father has are mine; therefore I said that he takes of mine, and will declare it to you.        John 16:12-15 (WEB)
And more promises. Jesus always has more to say to me. His Spirit always has more to teach me. I will never reach a ‘boring’ point in our relationship. There will always be a new day that will show me again that my LORD will never leave me and never let me go. I choose to leave in the palm of His hand and that is where I will stay.
The Spirit will declare. Oh, may I be listening! And as He keeps telling me – it’s about a relationship. Every day we talk. Every day we spend time together so that as the days go by, I know that I hear His voice.
And that leads to the testimony that so many are searching to find. People who do not have a relationship yet are looking for real promises and real truth. They are looking for something that they can hang on to in a world that changes minute to minute.
Come, Holy Spirit. Come live in me. Give me ears to hear You and the knowledge to know only You. May my heart be open only to You. May I glorify and magnify my LORD and Savior in all that I am.
