Nougat 28

It is a blessed joy to accompany others, fraught with responsibility though it is. For when we see the progress made by the person, we ought to be able to celebrate with them. There is something better than that however. It is knowing that we are accompanied by God’s Spirit. Oh yes we are. Consider Today’s Holly Nougat

“But I tell you the truth, it is to your advantage that I go away; for if I do not go away, the Helper (Comforter, Advocate, Intercessor—Counselor, Strengthener, Standby) will not come to you; but if I go, I will send Him (the Holy Spirit) to you [to be in close fellowship with you]. And He, when He comes, will convict the world about [the guilt of] sin [and the need for a Savior], and about righteousness, and about judgment:” ‭‭John‬ ‭16‬:‭7‬-‭8‬ ‭AMP‬‬

For Our Benefit

Imagine being one of Jesus’ Twelve or Seventy, Hearing those words prior to the Crucifixion. It isn’t a very consoling text, is it? Jesus is preparing them for His permanent departure and assured them that it is for the best. Nope. Not buying that. But He didn’t stop there. And what Jesus offers is literally a consolation prize, but God’s Spirit is truly so much more!

(I use the term consolation prize because of the context in which Jesus spoke. He knew that His news would disturb the disciples. So He offered them news to comfort them in their loss, ie to console them. And if God’s Spirit is that consolation in lieu of Jesus, then God’s Spirit can be seen as a consolation prize)

In our Nougat, we’re told that Jesus’ replacement – not successor – ‘the Helper’ fills the roles of: Comforter, Advocate, Intercessor—Counselor, Strengthener, Standby. The Amplified Version offers us some of the common transliteration of the Greek ‘Parakletos’. Those terms tell us that Jesus’ Replacement is equal in power to Him, and is also accessible. The Great News is that although we’re not The Twelve or The Seventy, we also qualify for access to God’s Spirit. Oh yeah!

The disciples, later called Apostles, did discover that the gift of God’s Spirit was to their advantage. Though it might not have felt so at the time. Post-Pentecost, God’s Spirit was literally with them always, as promised indirectly in Matthew 28:18-20. For as with us, God’s Spirit dwelled within them; bringing new meaning to the other name for Jesus, God with us.

God’s Spirit lives within us when we accept Jesus as our Lord. Which means we get access to the Triune God, Whose Spirit convicts us when we’re falter; and is capable of taking us directly to Jesus when we’re in need of healing, literally and figuratively. That’s the type of Accompaniment we receive in Jesus’ promise. That’s definitely to our benefit!

Might we take a few moments to thank God for the best ‘consolation prize’ ever, and commit to engaging with God’s Spirit – to our advantage?

Selah

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May all we seek be found in Christ