Devotional Day 39

Scripture

John 14:8-27

8 Philip said to him, “Lord, show us the Father, and it is enough for us.” 9 Jesus said to him, “Have I been with you so long, and you still do not know me, Philip? Whoever has seen me has seen the Father. How can you say, ‘Show us the Father’? 10 Do you not believe that I am in the Father and the Father is in me? The words that I say to you I do not speak on my own authority, but the Father who dwells in me does his works. 11 Believe me that I am in the Father and the Father is in me, or else believe on account of the works themselves. 12 “Truly, truly, I say to you, whoever believes in me will also do the works that I do; and greater works than these will he do, because I am going to the Father. 13 Whatever you ask in my name, this I will do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son. 14 If you ask me anything in my name, I will do it.

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. 18 “I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you. 19 Yet a little while and the world will see me no more, but you will see me. Because I live, you also will live. 20 In that day you will know that I am in my Father, and you in me, and I in you. 21 Whoever has my commandments and keeps them, he it is who loves me. And he who loves me will be loved by my Father, and I will love him and manifest myself to him.” 22 Judas (not Iscariot) said to him, “Lord, how is it that you will manifest yourself to us, and not to the world?” 23 Jesus answered him, “If anyone loves me, he will keep my word, and my Father will love him, and we will come to him and make our home with him. 24 Whoever does not love me does not keep my words. And the word that you hear is not mine but the Father’s who sent me. 25 “These things I have spoken to you while I am still with you. 26 But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, he will teach you all things and bring to your remembrance all that I have said to you. 27 Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid.

Devotional

When Jesus was talking with his disciples about his ascension, naturally some of them were concerned. After having left everything to follow Jesus - all of a sudden he was leaving earth to go back to heaven. What are we going to do - they despaired. However, Jesus assured them that it was actually better for them that he left, because he would send them another helper, the Holy Spirit. Even though he was physically going to be absent from them, he would be with them forever through the Spirit. What a wonderful gift Jesus has given to us in the Spirit!

Multiple times in this passage Jesus refers to the Holy Spirit as ‘the Helper’. What a wonderful description of the ministry of the Spirit to us - our helper. I don’t think we can move on before we acknowledge the staggering humility of God in his willingness to help us. Doesn’t it blow your mind that God himself would stoop so low as to help his own creation! It reminds me of Jesus, who Philippians 2 tells us humbled himself, taking on the form of a servant. What a wonderful privilege it is to have God’s help, you are not alone, and you don’t have to do anything alone ever again for Jesus has sent the Spirit to help you! Even as I write this devotional, I’m asking the Holy Spirit for help - and he is gracious to give it!

As Christians we can so often forget about the consistent help that God has made available to us by giving us His Spirit. So often we face our issues as though we were alone. From difficult pressures at work, relational struggles, emotional pain, our struggles to understand scripture or how to handle a challenging situation - we face needs everyday, and unfortunately we often feel alone as we handle them, but we never truly are alone are we? Even right now as you read this, if you are a disciple of Jesus - the Spirit has been given to you and you have his help available to you at this present moment!

Think about all of the battles you are facing right now, the battles with sin and its consequences, the pressures you are facing with work or family, how to process the pain and evil you see in the world. You know, you don’t have to deal with any of it by yourself - you have the Holy Spirit. Who is perfect in wisdom and inexhaustible in power. He knows all things - past, present and future, from the secrets of your heart to the mind of Christ. He is in all, through all and over all, and He has promised to be with you forever.

Ask the Lord today for a fresh awareness of the presence of the Spirit and begin to pay more attention to His presence and opinion in any and every situation. Begin to walk by the Spirit and keep in step with him, paying attention to what He is saying, the pace He is moving and what His opinion is. You are not alone, you are not abandoned - you have the wonderful help of the Holy Spirit every single day.

Prayer

Lord - thank you so much for the gift of your Spirit! I thank you that you have not left me to fend for myself or deal with all of my issues alone. I renew my devotion to your leadership afresh today Lord and pray that you would give me eyes and ears to discern the leading of your Spirit. I humbly admit that I need your help in all things and pray that you would help me with everything that’s going on in my life. (Take some time now to ask the Spirit for help with everything in your life that you need his help for today). In Jesus’ name, Amen!