NOVEMBER 25, 2015
With Us and in
Us
I
will ask the Father, and he will give you another advocate to help you and be
with you forever.— John 14:16
Read:
John
14:15-21
“But I can’t see Him!” he reasoned. My husband
hugged him and said, “He lives in you. And He won’t leave you alone.” My son
touched his heart and said, “Yes, Jesus lives in me.”
Kids are not the only ones who suffer from
separation anxiety. In every stage of life we face times of separation from
those we love, sometimes because of geographical distance and sometimes because
of death. However, we need to remember that even if we feel forsaken by others,
God hasn’t forsaken us. He has promised to be with us always. God sent the Spirit
of truth—our Advocate and Helper—to dwell with us and in us forever (John
14:15-18). We are His beloved children.
My son is learning to trust, but so am I. Like
my son, I can’t see the Spirit, but I feel His power as each day He encourages
me and guides me as I read God’s Word. Let us thank God for His wonderful
provision, the Spirit of Christ who is with us and in us. We are certainly not
alone!
Lord, thank You for Your Holy Spirit who lives in me.
We are never alone.
INSIGHT:
In today’s passage Jesus describes the
promised Spirit as an advocate (v. 15). The original Greek word is paraklete,
which literally means “someone called alongside to help.” Some translations
render the word as counselor or comforter. While those terms convey some of the
meaning, advocate adds a different layer to the definition because paraklete
was also used to describe someone who served as legal counsel or as a defense
attorney. Our Helper—the Spirit of God—was sent by Jesus to help us in our time
of need.
Source: Our Daily Bread 2015
