May 25 Holy Spirit You are welcome here

Lord, thank You for letting me live in a time when You have sent Your presence to be with believers continuously.

In the Old Testament scriptures, You visited people in physical form, or You were “with” them for a time, but not like You are now.  I remember Gideon saw You, and after speaking face to face, made an offering You accepted and consumed with fire.

You were “with” Saul, but then You left him.  When You were with David, You promised to never take Your love away from him or his descendants, and to be their Father.  This was something new.

When You walked on the earth, You were with Your disciples day to day in the flesh.   You taught and guided them in truth.  But that was short-lived.   What You promised them, and what they received, had never been heard of before.

People made their own gods.  They imagined what powers the god had, then they fashioned a wood or stone or a ceramic figure to worship.  This god could only be at one place and only at one time, and could not hear or speak, move or act.

What You did was truly revolutionary!

You have sent a part of Yourself to every believer!  Your presence can be felt and experienced by every single person who has accepted You as Lord.  We call this presence the Holy Spirit, or the Counselor, or the Holy Ghost: the third part of the Trinity.

And right now, this  invisible Spirit of Truth teaches, reminds, comforts, convicts, and guides.   Thank You for this marvelous presence we are connected to even in these challenging times.

Thank You that You are real and true and not crafted by man.  Help me hear what the Spirit says, and understand what the Spirit teaches.  Do not let me do anything that would hinder or impede the work of the Holy Spirit in my life.  Thank You for this tremendous, invaluable gift.  Amen

 

2 Samuel 7:8-21; John 14:15-27

June 21 In You I am made and known

Oh Father! There is no person or created being like You! Nothing on earth, or beneath the earth, or in the heavens above. There is no other who knows me inside and out. Although billions and billions of people have lived, You are personally familiar with who I am. You recognize me; see what I do, when I come and where I go, when I lie down and when I get up.

Other people might also know me that well, but You also know me on the inside. You know when I have a thought, and what it is. You see into my mind and heart to know my motivation for all that I do. When I am forming a sentence, You know what I will say even before I speak.

You are everywhere at all times. Anyplace I can go You are already there and can see me. There is no place to hide from Your presence. I could go as far as is humanly possible, into the depths of the earth, or beneath the sea, or out into the vastness of space beyond the other planets and stars; and You would already be there. There is nothing that can conceal me from Your watchful eye. Even darkness does not prevent You from seeing me.

In one way, You are like a parent who knows their child. A parent learns the aptitudes and personality of their child so well that the child’s actions do not surprise the parent. Even motivation can be seen sometimes because children are often so transparent in their behaviors.

Because they are younger, they are limited in their ability and thinking so a parent can often hem them in to protect and teach them. But You are much more than simply older and wiser than me, as a parent is to a child. As a child is amazed by the power and ability and wisdom of a parent, I am amazed by You – to the zillionth power!

In Your sovereignty and power, You created my body, my mind, my spirit – before I was even born! You formed all that would be me in my mother’s womb. How amazing is that!   You have the power of life!

It is by Your design that I have two hands that give me the ability to work and craft, and gently hold a baby. It is by Your design that I have two eyes that can see the wonder You created in the beauty of the earth: flowers, birds, mountains, oceans, a sunrise! You gave me ears that hear, a brain that thinks, a mouth that speaks!

You chose when I would be born, where, and to whom! And You will close my eyes when my time on earth is ended.

In all this, You gave me the ability to know You. As You reveal Yourself to me in Your Word, and as we communicate in prayer, I am blown away by who You are. Your thoughts, Your creativity defy human imagination and understanding. They are too wonderful for me. And I am blessed beyond measure to know You.

Continue to lead me, teach me, test me, mature me, Father. Know me. And let me know You. Amen

Psalm 139:1-24