"And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Advocate, who will never leave you. He is the Holy Spirit, who leads into all truth. The world cannot receive him, because it isn't looking for him and doesn't recognize him. but you know him, because he lives with you now and later will be in you." John 14:16-17
I am so grateful when the Lord grants me further insight into his nature. Jesus is telling the disciples that he is the Spirit-with-them, an outside and physically separate Advocate. I now understand why the indwelling Spirit only came after his death and resurrection. Although God is everywhere and everywhen, the Spirit and Jesus as a man could not be apart in this mortal place. Therefore, as long as the Disciples had Jesus walking and talking with them, they had his Spirit walking alongside them.
Jesus died on the cross the moment he surrendered his Spirit to God. No mortal can survive without their spirit, the essence of life and personhood.
The Holy Spirit is the heart and person of Jesus, the perfect essence of Life itself!
My head is about to explode because I thought I was keeping Jesus at arms length all this time. It's been a struggle to find some point of connection because of my past experiences with men.
My head is about to explode!
This time it's with joy because I've been awfully hard on myself for this lack of trust in Jesus.
My head is about to explode!
He's been at the kitchen table with me all along through his Spirit who guides both brush and words. I didn't even need to push back a chair for him to sit a while with me!
I have a huge, silly big grin on my face right now for this forehead slapping big, "Duh!" But hey, you only know what you know until you know better.
I like better.
So, this is not what I expected to write about this morning. I had a whole agenda in place around speaking about the critic. I'd done two art pieces exploring the idea. The first collage was a bit of a slap-dash effort, rushed and self directed. How do I know? It feels flat and empty. Usually, there's a need, an urging to try again. This need holds no condemnation for not "getting it" the first time but is an invitation to explore. It's up to me if I want to.
For the second one, I slowed down, taking the time to listen and be led by, guess who? Jesus! LOL
He's all about measuring up but if you have too much clutter, for example, you must accessorize your home. Huh? Clean isn't clean unless it's perfect. Keep busy and simplify your life. It's no wonder we end up tied up in knots.
And that is his endgame. To tie us up. To stop us from ever believing we could measure up. To stop us from stepping outside the box within a box within a box of his making.
He is a liar. His message is the fine print disavowing the claims made by whatever product or practice he is demanding we must use to be at the pinnacle of excellence. Use with caution. What?
Did you know that the Material Safety Data sheet for a major brand of hand sanitizer says to avoid direct contact with skin and for safety purposes should be immediately washed off? Huh? Haven't we been told in this Covid world to frequently use the stuff, that it is good?
The critic has many offspring: self doubt, fear, worthlessness, confusion, insecurity...his name is Legion.
Yah, but...sometimes the Yahbut helps us see truth...but...these Yahbuts go by a different name.
It's "Yahweh."
His Spirit with us will encourage, support, and teach us for one purpose, that we may know the unfaltering and faithful presence of God even when we have to try again or again and again and again.
God will give us wings, not Red Bull. ( I have been itching to use that line for a long time, smile.)
Thank you, Lord, for the gift of the Holy Spirit, of your Son. AMEN!
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