The Holy Spirit brings us Jesus' gift of peace
Daily Scripture
John 14:16-18, 26-27
Did You Know?
In Biblical Greek, the word paraklētos (like the Hebrew rûaḥ) had multiple English equivalents. “There is no single English equivalent to the Greek word paraklētos”…. a variety of English words are used to translate John’s use of “Paraclete” when referring to the Holy Spirit, which reflects the elasticity of the Greek term.” * English translators most commonly use the words Helper, Advocate, Comforter and Counselor. It is rendered as “Companion” in the Common English Bible, with “Advocate” a footnoted alternative.
16 I will ask the Father, and he will send another Companion [or Advocate], who will be with you forever. 17 This Companion is the Spirit of Truth, whom the world can’t receive because it neither sees him nor recognizes him. You know him, because he lives with you and will be with you.
18 “I won’t leave you as orphans. I will come to you.
26 The Companion [or Advocate], the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you everything and will remind you of everything I told you.
27 “Peace I leave with you. My peace I give you. I give to you not as the world gives. Don’t be troubled or afraid.
Daily Reflection & Prayer
The disciples had been with Jesus for three years. It must have been impossible to imagine Jesus’ ministry going on without him present. But Jesus stressed that he was not abandoning the disciples. He promised them the Holy Spirit as the “paraclete” (see note above), a Companion who would fill the role Jesus had filled, different yet the same. The Spirit’s presence would bring Jesus’ peace to their hearts.
- Jesus said, “Peace I leave with you. My peace I give you. I give to you not as the world gives. Don’t be troubled or afraid” (verse 27). Have you ever found the kind of “peace” the world offers leaving you feeling empty and purposeless? How can opening your life to the gift of the Holy Spirit give you the greater, deeper peace Jesus promised?
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Jesus did not forget or desert his first disciples or us. He promised to be with us constantly through the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit does not replace Jesus, but rather, in a way beyond our full understanding, is Jesus’ presence with us, now and until the end of time and space as we know it (“forever”—verse 16). What word or phrase in today’s verses about the Holy Spirit speaks most to your heart? When have you most sensed Jesus’ presence with you?
Prayer
Lord Jesus, you promised, “I won’t leave you as orphans, I will come to you.” Thank you for always being my Companion and Comforter, even when my circumstances seem the hardest. Amen.
GPS Insights
Melanie Hill
Melanie Hill serves as the Director of Operations at Resurrection's West location. She wrote this blog post for us in 2016, when she served as the Guest Connections Program Director.
Have you ever found yourself feeling less “spiritual” than someone else? Less in tune with the Holy Spirit, wondering how and why you were missing out on what they had? I found myself in this place this week.
In a staff chapel, Rev. Cheryl Bell asked for staff to share stories of interaction with the Spirit in our ministries. As one after another of our staff shared stories of times when the Spirit showed up in amazing ways, I found myself thinking, “Why don’t I have any of those stories?” The stories being shared seemed to me to border on the mystical–stories of total strangers sharing with someone the exact message God had for them, of visions and encounters so tangible you felt as if you were there. I listened in amazement. I was encouraged that the Spirit is surely working in and through the people of Resurrection. But then I started to wonder why I couldn’t think of a story like this in my own faith journey. I have never had a vision. I have never had a stranger stop me and share something straight from God meant just for me. I started to wonder if somehow I’m just not in tune with what the Holy Spirit is doing. Maybe I need to work harder at it–start meditating or something. It bothered me the rest of the day. I had this feeling of being “less than,” that somehow I was missing something.
Later that night as I texted with the women in my small group about one of our members who just had surgery and what we could do for her, I was reminded of how the Spirit shows up in my life. He shows up in the relationships I have–with my husband, my friends, my children. I spent a good 30 minutes Saturday morning tickling my 5 year old and laughing with her. When my cheeks hurt from smiling, I heard the still small voice of the Spirit say, “Here I am in your joy.” Earlier in the week I sat with 7 members of a class I was teaching on “Discovering your Spiritual Gifts” and found my heart so full of the promise of what God is doing through His people that I heard the Spirit say, “Look how I am moving through My people.” At Easter this year the Spirit showed up in my neighbor, who encouraged me to invite a new neighbor to share in our Easter tradition of dinner together. Through her the Spirit said, “I am going to stretch you.”
I was reminded that the Spirit does not show up less in my life because I don’t have an “ah ha” story of something miraculous. The miracle is that He shows up in my everyday interactions and the conversations I have.
So if you are one of those people who have a great story of the Spirit moving in a way that just blows you away, share it. Those of us who have not had that experience need to hear it. We need to be encouraged, challenged and reminded that God is mystical, powerful and moving in the world. But don’t miss Jesus on the shore because you’re waiting for the miracle. Instead remember that the miracle is that Jesus provided a way to have holy interactions every day. Wherever you see the Spirit at work, in big moments or little daily events, celebrate what He is doing in you and through you.Mela
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Scripture quotations are taken from The Common English Bible ©2011. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
References
* Jeffrey E. Miller, article “Paraclete” in The Lexham Bible Dictionary. Bellingham, WA: Lexham Press, 2016.
