The Spirit of Truth

"Do not let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God; trust also in me. . . . And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Counselor to be with you forever --the Spirit of Truth. The world will not accept him because it neither sees him nor knows him. But you know him, for he lives with you and will be in you. I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you." [John 14: 1, 16-18].

This is Jesus, speaking to his disciples before His death, telling them that He is leaving them.

Simon Peter asks, "Lord, where are you going?" Jesus replies, "Where I am going, you cannot follow me now, but you will follow later." [John 13: 36].

The disciples are confused and anxious. They want to know how they will know what to do? How they will know their way?

Jesus explains that He will never leave them as orphans and that He will come to them! These are some of the most thrilling and comforting words of Scripture to me! I may get lost and confused and in despair, but I am never alone.

Jesus may be gone but He, and the Father, are with me always. They are with me through the Spirit, the Spirit of Truth.

I have been told a lot of lies in my life:  that I am a failure; that I am ugly; that my gifts are worthless; that there is no God; that prayer is only for the desperate; that money is what is to be worshipped; that church is a waste of time and money; that only hypocrites need God; that certain people are inferior; that it is "coddling" to give to charity, that the most important thing in life is work, not joy.

What lies have you been told?

Jesus may be gone from this earth and God may sometimes seem so very far away. But the Spirit of Truth is near, as close to you as your own heart.

As a child, I think that I did not want to believe all the lies I was told. Something inside me, the Spirit of Truth, inspired me to want something more, something better. You see, a child does not seek hate, only love. She does not want strife, she wants only peace. She does not want despair, she wants only hope. She does not want to be a victim, she wants only mercy. She does not want lies, she wants only wisdom and understanding. She does not want violence, she wants only gentleness and patience. She does not want a wholly secular world, she wants faith.

If you seek all these things, by the Holy Spirit, you are seeking Jesus. The Holy Spirit is the Spirit of Truth!  Jesus will lead you to the Truth-- to love, peace, hope, mercy, wisdom and understanding, gentleness and patience and even joy. All else are lies. And Jesus will never lie to you or abandon you!

In John 3, Jesus says, "If you hold to my teaching, you are really my disciples. Then you will know the truth and the truth will set you free!"

Jesus, how comforting and thrilling that you will come to me, with the Spirit of Truth, to guide me in my life. I need only trust in God and trust in you, and you will show me the way!

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