John 14:18 — No, I will not abandon you as orphans—I will come to you.
As a human being, Jesus was limited to being in one place at a time. He could only be with some people at any moment. If the church was to grow and go into all the world, Jesus needed to be present everywhere at all times. This is why Jesus returned to heaven and sent us the Holy Spirit in His place.
In John 14:16, Jesus said, “I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Advocate, who will never leave you.” The word “another” means “identical, exactly the same.” The oneness between Jesus and the Holy Spirit makes them so much alike that Jesus could say that when He left He would come to them. “I am leaving, but I will still be here with you” is what Jesus essentially said.
We are never left alone by God. Jesus said, “I will never abandon you.” The presence of Jesus was made unlimited by His return to heaven. The Holy Spirit is omnipresent. He can fill every believer with His presence so that we can experience the eternal life of Christ. With the Holy Spirit’s teaching, power, leading, and spiritual gifts, we can be the church — Christ’s body — and share His good news in all the world.
Christ has come to us through the indwelling of the Holy Spirit. Jesus also promised that one day He would personally return for the church to take us home to the Father’s house. Wouldn’t that be exciting? To be caught up into the clouds to meet our Bridegroom in the air and then be whisked away to the Father’s house for the marriage supper of the Lamb!
You are not alone today. The lover of your soul is with you. He has come to you.
12/05/2024 Devotional
"We are never left alone by God."
Chapter 20 of 2 Chronicles tells of the extraordinary king named Jehoshaphat, one of Judah's early rulers. He believes that if you trust in your own military might or that of powerful neighbors, you will lose. Instead, humble yourself and rely totally on God, regardless of the odds against you. When invading armies threaten, he calls the entire nation together in a giant prayer meeting. On the day of battle, he sends a choir in front of his army to sing praises to God. By his public prayer and personal example, King Jehpshaphat shows what can happen when a leader places complete trust in God.
You are not alone.
12/05/2024 묵상