My son had just started nursery school. The first day he cried and declared, âI donât like school.â My husband and I talked to him about it. âWe may not be physically there, but we are praying for you. Besides, Jesus is with you always.â
âBut I canât see Him!â he reasoned. My husband hugged him and said, âHe lives in you. And He wonât leave you alone.â My son touched his heart and said, âYes, Jesus lives in me.â
Kids are not the only ones who suffer from separation anxiety. In every stage of life we face times of separation from those we love, sometimes because of geographical distance and sometimes because of death. However, we need to remember that even if we feel forsaken by others, God hasnât forsaken us. He has promised to be with us always. God sent the Spirit of truthâour Advocate and Helperâto dwell with us and in us forever (John 14:15-18). We are His beloved children.
My son is learning to trust, but so am I. Like my son, I canât see the Spirit, but I feel His power as each day He encourages me and guides me as I read Godâs Word. Let us thank God for His wonderful provision, the Spirit of Christ who is with us and in us. We are certainly not alone!
In todayâs passage Jesus describes the promised Spirit as an advocate (v. 15). The original Greek word is paraklete, which literally means âsomeone called alongside to help.â Some translations render the word as counselor or comforter. While those terms convey some of the meaning, advocate adds a different layer to the definition because paraklete was also used to describe someone who served as legal counsel or as a defense attorney. Our Helperâthe Spirit of Godâwas sent by Jesus to help us in our time of need.