Dear Disciple,
“But very truly I tell you, it is for your good that I am going away. Unless I go away, the Advocate will not come to you; but if I go, I will send him to you.” John 16:7
Imagine how difficult it must have been for the Master and for His disciples to face His physical departure from the earth. They didn’t understand – perhaps they couldn’t understand – how it would all play out, but they did hear their Master and friend declare that He would be leaving them. In His absence, He said, they would have a gift even better than His physical presence: the Advocate. Again, they certainly didn’t grasp the fullness of what that meant, but they had the confident promise of their Master, and that would have to be enough.
Our Teacher went on to explain much of what the Spirit would do among them, including bringing conviction to the world (John 16:8-11), leading the apostles into all truth (16:13), telling them what was to come (16:13), bringing glory to Jesus (16:14), and passing on what He receives from Jesus (16:14). He was not leaving them as orphans to face all that was to come on their own. He would be with them always, but it would be in a different way than He had been up until then.
You have never known the physical company of Jesus as those first disciples did, Disciple, but you do have the same benefit that they received after His departure. You are not alone as you face what comes either. You, too, have the Advocate to lead you into all truth, to pass on to you what your Master says, and to bring glory to Jesus in your life. This Advocate, this Helper, is just as reliable as the Master and does all that He does to shape you more and more into the Master’s image.
You can trust the Spirit who fills you to be present, aware, and entirely engaged in your every moment of life. Call on Him, yield to Him, respond to Him, count on Him. As you step out to obey the difficult things your Master calls you do, trust the Spirit to be there and partner with you to give you all that you need. When you reach out to minister to others, rely on the Spirit to grant you the wisdom, power, and insight needed to do it well. He is Jesus’ very presence with you, His voice, and His power.
Yes, Jesus is still here, but in a different way, and we really should be glad! No waiting in long lines and no traveling hither and yon to catch up to Him; you have immediate and constant access to His presence and power now because it is no longer bound by a physical body nor a geographical location. Jesus’ physical body on earth (the Church) spans the globe, and He fills it wherever it is. May the Advocate fill you with His love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control (Galatians 5:22-23) as you train to become like Your Master today.
Relishing the Spirit-life with you,
Ryan
