Never Alone (John 14)
NEVER ALONE
John 14:15-21, 20:19-23
Jesus says, “I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Advocate, to be with you forever. I will not leave you orphaned; I am coming to you... because I live you will live also.”
When my husband Todd was dying, he took great pains to be sure I would be okay. Likewise, Jesus has entered Jerusalem and knows that his time left on earth is short. So, Jesus is telling his disciples that they shall soon receive from God, an Advocate, the Holy Spirit, who will be with them forever!
Jesus says: “I will not leave you orphaned...” When I leave you—when you can no longer grasp hold of me, I will live on in you through the Holy Spirit.
In John’s story, the coming of this Holy Spirit is a quiet event. The disciples are locked in fear in a house. The risen Jesus comes amongst them with “Peace be with you.” He shows them the signs of his crucifixion and the disciples rejoice! Jesus again says, “Peace be with you. As the Father has sent me, so I send you…” Then Jesus breathes on them saying, “Receive the Holy Spirit.” Jesus sends them into the world to continue his work on earth!
I received the Holy Spirit as probably most of you, at my Baptism. Waters of life were poured upon me “in the name of the Father, Son, and the Holy Spirit”. I was an infant but at that moment, I was made a Child of God and received God’s Advocate, the Holy Spirit. That gift of God’s presence with me now and forever has been both a powerful motivator as well as a great comfort to me throughout life.
This God-in-me empowers me to do meaningful things—as a wife, mother, advocate for youth, teacher, and pastor. In every opportunity God gives me, I am so thankful. When I fail, this same Spirit picks me up, brushes off my mistakes, forgives me, and helps me to move forward.
Now, I draw upon God’s Spirit to carry me through sorrow, anxiety, and a new life for the days ahead. At times I feel like those disciples in the locked room—at loss as to what to do. When at my lowest, I realize that Jesus’ Spirit is right beside me and I can smile and move ahead, one step at a time!
