Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost.
(Matthew 28:19)
The Lord shows Himself to us in many ways. He is our loving Father in heaven, He is the Man that came die for us...and He is the Spirit that encompasses everything around us. His Spirit--also called the Holy Ghost--is very much real, and it is omnipresent. Everywhere. He is always with us, guiding us and comforting His children. The Holy Spirit is just another part of Him, another way God can show himself to us.
Maybe you've been singing a praise or simply praying, pouring your heart out to God, when suddenly it felt as if He were right there with you. You may have felt calmed or excited, speechless or full of shouting--but, either way, you knew in your heart that you were in the presence of God.
Of maybe some of you have no idea how this is even possible. You may be thinking right now, "What is she saying? God's up there. He's in heaven, not on earth!" And if you are thinking that, my friend, then please keep reading. Because God is absolutely here on earth! Jesus didn't just leave us to fend for ourselves after He ascended.
In John 14:26, Jesus said, "But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you."
The Comforter...
He comforts. In your worst times, in times of trouble or sadness, the Spirit can wash over you and bring a sense of calm and assurance. I know this from experience, and many others have felt His touch as well. Jesus knows your fears and your weakness, and it is through His cleansing, loving Spirit that you can truly find peace and happiness.
...He shall teach you things...
Many of the things spoken of throughout the Bible are sometimes hard to decipher, especially to those of us who have not studied and pored over its pages and searched for translations and understanding. But that does not mean that we should just give up whenever we do not fully comprehend something, and I'm not meaning just when reading the Bible. I mean with anything. Problems at home or with friends, trouble at school, worries about the future...Life is full of so many things that can be hard for us to understand, but God can guide us toward the right path. He can teach us important things through our trials and He can help us decipher the meanings of his letters (the Bible).
Of course, we will never be able to know everything about God and why or how He does the things He does, but we can just know that God wants us to know Him and love Him. That's why He takes such care in us, even though we don't deserve such mercy.
...and bring things to your remembrance...
Sometimes as Christians we have a hard time relying on God and trusting completely in Him. Maybe we go through hard times and we feel like He hasn't really been caring for us like He should, so we close our hearts and--maybe unknowingly--take a step away from the Lord.
But He, in His loving and gentle way, can remind us just how magnificent and truly all-powerful He is. It might be in the middle of the night lying in bed when you suddenly remember, God was there for me when my sister went away to college. I was so upset and I missed her, but He helped me through it. Or maybe, while watching a show about a kind father taking care of his own little child, you somehow place this with Jesus and how He has always been such a loving and prominent role in your life.
Whatever it may be, however it happens, God can remind you of His love and His never-ending care for you. He wants you to know that He loves you with a passion and that He never wants you to turn away from Him. Why else would He keep picking you up when you fall or comforting you when you need a shoulder to cry on?
Why else would He have died in your place?
Why else would He never leave you, never make you go through life on your own?
For he hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee.
(Hebrews 13:5)
Did you know that Hogan loves to sketch and draw?!
Did you know that Jess loves American accents?!
Photograph property of Lilies Among Thorns Magazine. Photograph taken by Jess Mc.
Awesome article! It is so true. What the Spirit has done for me constantly is bring the remembrance of Christ's sacrifice and coming glory to my mind, and sometimes Scriptures that apply to situations. There's just kind of a feeling you get of interaction between you and the Trinity when you pray and worship... He's so good!
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