Today's reading is some of Jesus' last words to His apostles. He is telling them that He is going away and that they should not be grieved because when He goes He will send the Holy Spirit. The Spirit will convict the world in regard to sin and righteousness and will guide us into all truth.
But what intrigues me about this passage is Jesus' words, "It is for your good that I am going away. Unless I go, the Counselor will not come to you; but if I go, I will send him to you" (verse 7, NIV). Remember when you were a little kid, and your parents said that they were doing something for your good. It was usually something unpleasant and you couldn't really see how it was going to do you any good. That's where I am with this passage. How could it be that Jesus leaving was going to be good? And how could this Counselor be better for us than Jesus' presence?
I don't have the answers to those questions. It appears that Jesus had to go back to the Father, so I am appreciative that He didn't leave us here on our own. God's Spirit came to dwell in believers to guide them to truth and to reveal the things of the Father to us. But Jesus leaving seems like one of those things that is supposed to be good for us and we don't understand how.
So if that is the case, then I want to know all I can about the Holy Spirit - how He works, what it means to be full of the Spirit, how not to quench the Spirit. And I don't have all that knowledge either. But I've determined not to be scared of it. Whatever the Spirit looks like, however He wants to work in my life, whatever equipping or empowering He wants to do so that I am useful in the kingdom, Jesus told me that it was for my good.
So I say bring it on! Don't you want more of the Spirit too?
- Holly Barrett
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