“I will ask the Father, and He will give you another Helper, that He may be with you forever;” John 14:16 (NKJV)
Can you imagine what it must have been like to have been one of Jesus’ original disciples? As they walked with Him, learned from Him, and watched the amazing miracles that He did, they were truly experiencing “Immanuel”, God with us. And then, what it must have felt like in that time between the crucifixion and the resurrection. They must have felt total hopelessness and despair. Even though He had told them what to expect, they did not seem to understand.
Then came the 40 days of fellowship with Him after the resurrection! Jesus turns hopelessness into joy. As the disciples’ faith grew, Jesus told them that He would return to the Father, but He would not leave them alone. The Heavenly Father will send another Helper. The wonderful promise of The Holy Spirit.
I find it comforting that on the day of Pentecost, all of the believers gathered at the beginning of the Church were filled with The Holy Spirit. Just as we are when we find salvation in Christ Jesus. And the promise says that He will be with us forever! Not just when we feel joy, but always. He is with us. I think we sometimes may forget and feel just like the first disciples did at that in between time, just before the resurrection, when they thought Jesus was gone. Remember, “I am with you always”. Matthew 28:20 b (NKJV)
May God Bless You!
Scott Kinnick
