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The Holy Spirit Is Promised
15 Jesus said to his disciples:
If you love me, you will do as I command. 16Then I will ask the Father to send you the Holy Spirit who will help you and always be with you. 17The Spirit will show you what is true. The people of this world cannot accept the Spirit, because they don't see or know him. But you know the Spirit, who is with you and will keep on living in you.
18I won't leave you like orphans. I will come back to you. 19In a little while the people of this world won't be able to see me, but you will see me. And because I live, you will live. 20Then you will know I am one with the Father. You will know you are one with me, and I am one with you. 21 If you love me, you will do what I have said, and my Father will love you. I will also love you and show you what I am like.
22The other Judas, not Judas Iscariot, then spoke up and asked, “Lord, what do you mean by saying that you will show us what you are like, but you will not show the people of this world?”
23Jesus replied:
If anyone loves me, they will obey me. Then my Father will love them, and we will come to them and live in them. 24But anyone who doesn't love me, won't obey me. What they have heard me say doesn't really come from me, but from the Father who sent me.
25I have told you these things while I am still with you. 26But the Holy Spirit will come and help you, because the Father will send the Spirit to take my place. The Spirit will teach you everything and will remind you of what I said while I was with you.
27I give you peace, the kind of peace only I can give. It isn't like the peace this world can give. So don't be worried or afraid.
28You have already heard me say I am going and I will also come back to you. If you really love me, you should be glad I am going back to the Father, because he is greater than I am.
29I am telling you this before I leave, so when it does happen, you will have faith in me. 30I cannot speak with you much longer, because the ruler of this world is coming. But he has no power over me. 31I obey my Father, so everyone in the world might know that I love him.
It is time for us to go now.
Reflect
I was travelling with a wonderful family. We were at a motel and the mom and I were making supper. Nine year old Susan was still in the pool, so the dad, Jack, strolled over to fetch her.
Other parents lined the chain-link fence around the pool, and Jack joined them. As Jack watched Susan swim, a man on the other side of the pool angrily bellowed curses through the fence at his son.
“DEREK! You little #*/&*!#! You get your butt out of that pool this minute! It’s the third time I’ve called you! #*/&*!#!”
The man shook his fist at his son. Susan stopped swimming and stared at the angry father and Derek.
Jack felt the need to make a point. He cupped his hands around his mouth and whispered in sing-song through the fence, “Suuu-san!” She didn’t hear him, so he whisper-sang again, “Suuuuu-san!”
Susan heard her father’s voice, turned to him and waved. Smiling, Jack beckoned her with his index finger. She nodded, got out of the pool, grabbed her towel and joined her dad. Still without words, Jack hugged her and they went for supper. Derek’s dad was still yelling at him.
Talk about contrast!
Jack showed respect and love to Susan. Susan loved him and cheerfully obeyed. Why? Because she knew him. Through thunderstorms, story times and birthday parties, through the flu and time-outs in the corner, the child knew her father’s love. She knew his laugh, the twinkle in his eye, the surprise in his pocket after a trip. She knew his displeasure, and it made her cry to disappoint him. She knew his protection in danger. She knew his love was sure. He had proven that all her life. Her happy obedience told the story of their love.
Jesus says, “God loves you. He is Love with a capital L. He knows best how to make you happy. Cheerfully obey me, because I am the way to God. Trust me.”
Respond
Heavenly Father, show me what real fatherhood is. Help me know you better. Help me obey you with trust. Thank you that you have my back. Amen.
Adele Simmons
Adele is a conference speaker and award-winning writer, editor, and songwriter, published in print, radio, video, stage, and television. Adele was twice shortlisted for the national Tom Fairley Award for Excellence in Book Editing (2020, 2012, Editors Canada). Two of her award-winning stories appear in the anthology, A Second Cup Of Hot Apple Cider. Along with careers in special education, management, college teaching, and concert ministry, Adele edits books, teaches writing and music, and sings on her worship team.