Never Left Alone

If you love me, you will obey what I command.  And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Counselor to be with you forever -- the Spirit of truth.  The world cannot accept him, because it neither sees him nor knows him.  But you know him, for he lives with you and will be in you.  I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you.

- John 14: 15-18

Jesus did not leave the world and gave His disciples with nothing.  Before He left, He assured His disciples that He will be with them in Spirit. The same goes for us. The Holy Spirit, the Counselor, is the One living in us.  Though we may not see Him, we know that He is living in us.  Jesus promised that He will not leave us as orphans but that He will come to us in the form of Holy Spirit.

We, the children of God, are never left alone in this world.  God sent the Counselor, the Spirit of truth, to reside in us teaching us, reminding us of Jesus' words, convicting us of sin, showing us God's righteousness, guiding us in truth, giving us insight into the future events, giving us understanding, and bringing glory to Christ.

We are never left alone after Jesus ascended to heaven.  We are assured that we are taken care of by the promised Holy Spirit, but the world cannot accept the Holy Spirit.  And another thing, Jesus said that if we love Him, we will obey what He commands.  If is a conditional statement.  So how do we know we truly love Jesus?  If we obey what He says.

If we claim that we love Jesus but we hate our neighbor, then our love for Jesus is questionable.  For as He commanded, "Love God with all your heart, mind, and soul.  And love your neighbor as you love yourself."  If we claim that we love Jesus, but haven't forgiven those who have hurt us, have we truly loved Jesus? Jesus commanded to forgive those who trespassed against us, and if we love Him, we will obey what He commanded

Our love for Jesus is directly related to our obedience to Him.  Now I ask myself, "Do I truly love Jesus? Have I obeyed Him? Am I doing what He says?"

[PRAYER]

Father God, thank You for giving us the Counselor, Your Holy Spirit.  We are not left on our own, but you assured us that Jesus is living with us and in us because of the Holy Spirit.  Jesus, thank you for not leaving us as orphans.  Thank You for residing in me.  Thank You for Your love and for being with me.  Thank You, Holy Spirit for being my greatest Counselor. In me, Your power is at work.  In Jesus' name I pray. Amen.

[Journal entry: October 30, 2011]