John 14:15-17
“If you love me, show it by doing what
I’ve told you. I will talk to the Father, and he’ll provide you another
Friend so that you will always have someone with you. This Friend is
the Spirit of Truth. The godless world can’t take him in because it
doesn’t have eyes to see him, doesn’t know what to look for. But you
know him already because he has been staying with you, and will even be
in you!
Scripture
quotations from The Message. © 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 2000, 2001, 2002
by Eugene Peterson. Used by permission of NavPress, Colorado Springs,
CO. All rights reserved.
When Timothy was a toddler,
Greg and I sat out on our driveway one warm fall night and looked at a
bright full moon. He would point and say, “Moon!” And we would remind
him that wherever he was, all he had to do was look at the moon and know
that we would be looking at it, too. “When you look at the moon,
remember how much we love you,” I told him. In recent years, my mother
has commented more than once when she was traveling that she looked at
the moon and reminded herself that we at home were seeing the same
moon. This is indeed a comforting thought.
When I was a child,
the concept of the Holy Spirit – or “Holy Ghost” as people referenced
Him…was nebulous and confusing enough to make me go, “Whaaaa???” I
don’t know how or why I found this such a difficult – and even scary -
concept…but now that I understand the “Spirit of Truth” and what a
friend and comforter He is and how He guides me and protects my every
breath, I am totally in love. And I want to do all I can to show Jesus
how much I love Him for sending this Friend.
Just
as a child of any age looks at the moon and knows that a grown-up sees
the same lunar orb, I know that the Holy Spirit of Truth is always with
me. Just as we can understand that others who look at the same moon we
are viewing may think of us and care about our every thought and
breath…we know that the Holy Spirit is with us wherever we are - that He
cares about us and is available to help us with anything and
everything!
The Holy Spirit is another gift from Jesus…a
“Forever Friend” to accompany us 24/7. All that Jesus asks of us in
return is that we demonstrate our love for Him by following His
commands…loving others as we love ourselves…operating in humility,
kindness and respect…feeding and clothing the hungry, homeless, widowed,
orphaned and needy…spreading the Gospel…and offering hope and salvation
through His cleansing blood to those who are lost, confused and
hurting. This may sound like a tall order…but in comparison to the
gifts of Salvation and the Holy Spirit, it is quite literally the least
we can do.
You may be one of many who have received the gift of
Salvation through the blood of Jesus Christ...and this is wonderful!
But have you received His gift of the Holy Spirit? Does He dwell in
your heart…and do you feel His presence? Do you recognize the Spirit of
Truth…is He your Forever Friend? Don’t you want this? Will you spend
some time in prayer today and call on the Holy Spirit to fill your
heart? All you have to do is ask…“Come, Holy Spirit…wash over me.”
He’s waiting for the invitation…are you ready to extend it?
©2015 Debbie Robus
Showing posts with label serving Jesus. Show all posts
Showing posts with label serving Jesus. Show all posts
Daily Devotional for June 21, 2014
Matthew 26:45
Finally, Jesus returned to his disciples and said, “Are you still sleeping and resting? The time has come for the Son of Man to be handed over to sinners.”
Scripture taken from the Contemporary English Version © 1991,1992, 1995 by American Bible Society, Used by Permission.
Timothy has this book we read at bedtime about a farmer whose entire menagerie – and even his family – arose before he did. Every time he heard the rooster crow, he would say, “Just a few more minutes”…or “Not yet”…or “Just one more second” so that he could continue sleeping. He would burrow further under the covers as the cow mooed and the cat and dog came to sit on top of him. And then, his wife yelled “ALBERTTTTTTTT!” He continued to try to sleep until the second time his wife yelled “ALBERTTTTTTTTT!!!” Then he said, “Oh, alright!” He got up, dressed, did his chores, and sat down to a hearty breakfast.
Timothy loves this story. So when he awoke at 6:15 a.m., and I wanted to continue sleeping, I reminded him that I was like the farmer in his story…”just a few more minutes, please!” “But it’s a beautiful day!” Timothy told me. And as much as I wanted to sleep and rest a little while longer, I knew that it was time to get up and start enjoying this “beautiful day” with my nephew. Soon enough, he will be too old for his Aunt Debbie. I will be the one saying, “Get up! It’s a beautiful day,” and he will be grumbling and groaning as many teenagers do…and saying, “Just a few more minutes!”
Soon enough, this little boy who thinks we are “perfect” (his word, not mine!) will not want to be seen with two old fogeys like us! Soon enough, he will be grown, move out of the house, and maybe have a family with little boys and girls of his own. The time to “get up and enjoy a beautiful day” with him is NOW! And this is the point of today’s scripture passage…the time to get up and share the GOOD NEWS of Jesus Christ is here!
Jesus didn’t tarry…He didn’t say, “Just a few more minutes”…or “God, can’t this wait until another day?”…He didn’t make excuses and shirk His responsibilities. Surely we can get up and get going on behalf of the One who did so much for each one of us! Soon enough, our earthly lives will be over, and all of the opportunities we had to serve Jesus and share His message of love, grace, mercy, forgiveness – and a new life in Him – will have passed. Where will you be on that day? Will you have spent your time wisely and obediently? Or will you have been like the farmer who pulled the quilt up over his head and pled, “Just a little while longer!” as his wife and animals called to him.
“The time has come.” These are Jesus’ words…will you answer His call… or are you still sleeping?
©2014 Debbie Robus
Finally, Jesus returned to his disciples and said, “Are you still sleeping and resting? The time has come for the Son of Man to be handed over to sinners.”
Scripture taken from the Contemporary English Version © 1991,1992, 1995 by American Bible Society, Used by Permission.
Timothy has this book we read at bedtime about a farmer whose entire menagerie – and even his family – arose before he did. Every time he heard the rooster crow, he would say, “Just a few more minutes”…or “Not yet”…or “Just one more second” so that he could continue sleeping. He would burrow further under the covers as the cow mooed and the cat and dog came to sit on top of him. And then, his wife yelled “ALBERTTTTTTTT!” He continued to try to sleep until the second time his wife yelled “ALBERTTTTTTTTT!!!” Then he said, “Oh, alright!” He got up, dressed, did his chores, and sat down to a hearty breakfast.
Timothy loves this story. So when he awoke at 6:15 a.m., and I wanted to continue sleeping, I reminded him that I was like the farmer in his story…”just a few more minutes, please!” “But it’s a beautiful day!” Timothy told me. And as much as I wanted to sleep and rest a little while longer, I knew that it was time to get up and start enjoying this “beautiful day” with my nephew. Soon enough, he will be too old for his Aunt Debbie. I will be the one saying, “Get up! It’s a beautiful day,” and he will be grumbling and groaning as many teenagers do…and saying, “Just a few more minutes!”
Soon enough, this little boy who thinks we are “perfect” (his word, not mine!) will not want to be seen with two old fogeys like us! Soon enough, he will be grown, move out of the house, and maybe have a family with little boys and girls of his own. The time to “get up and enjoy a beautiful day” with him is NOW! And this is the point of today’s scripture passage…the time to get up and share the GOOD NEWS of Jesus Christ is here!
Jesus didn’t tarry…He didn’t say, “Just a few more minutes”…or “God, can’t this wait until another day?”…He didn’t make excuses and shirk His responsibilities. Surely we can get up and get going on behalf of the One who did so much for each one of us! Soon enough, our earthly lives will be over, and all of the opportunities we had to serve Jesus and share His message of love, grace, mercy, forgiveness – and a new life in Him – will have passed. Where will you be on that day? Will you have spent your time wisely and obediently? Or will you have been like the farmer who pulled the quilt up over his head and pled, “Just a little while longer!” as his wife and animals called to him.
“The time has come.” These are Jesus’ words…will you answer His call… or are you still sleeping?
©2014 Debbie Robus
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