Jesus was spending his final hours on earth with his disciples, preparing them for his departure from this earth. While Jesus is talking about leaving them, He tells the disciples that the Father will give them another Helper. Now, remember, Jesus and the disciples had spent the last three years together, which breaks down to 1,095 days or 26,280 hours. They did everything together! They traveled together (all over Judea, Galilee, and Samaria), ate meals together, had conversations, and did ministry together. This is exactly what college students experience, like-minded people who are all heavily focused on learning a discipline and doing life together in close quarters.
Jesus was everything to the disciples. He was their teacher, helper, counselor, and advocate. Now that He was getting ready to finish His earthly assignment (give His life as a ransom for many, Matthew 20:28), he promised that they would not be alone. “Father will give you another Helper that will be with you forever.” In John 14:26, Jesus tells the disciples who this Helper is, “But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, He will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all that I said to you.”
As Christ-Followers, Father God has given us the Holy Spirit, the one called alongside to help. 1 Corinthians 3:16, “Do you not know that you are a temple of God and that the Spirit of God dwells in you?” This is good news.
Each of us has had times when we have misplaced our keys, a grocery list, homework, or the child’s pacifier. We ransack the house and can’t seem to find it, spending precious time, even chunks of time, with no success. Stress builds; emotions may even lean toward the dark side. Maybe during a work project, you realize you are spinning your wheels to complete it. Maybe you are trying to accomplish a home repair and get stuck, even after watching the YouTube video. Maybe you don’t understand the Bible passage you are reading. Maybe you are struggling to tell someone about Jesus. These are the times that we need to remember that we have a Helper. We should STOP and have a conversation with the Holy Spirit. Ask Him for help. Ask Him for clarity and understanding. Every moment of every day, we have the Spirit of Almighty God with us to help us on our journey called life!
Do you have a habit of “plowing” through your day on your own? How often do you ask the Holy Spirit for help? Daily remember, the Helper lives inside you. Practice His presence. Be quick to ask Him for help. When we do, God’s peace, which passes all understanding, will guard our heart and mind, instead of stress and frustration (see Philippians 4:7). God’s joy will fill our lives and be our strength (see Nehemiah 8:10).
Depending on the Helper,
Pastor Tom