S24P1 – The work of the Spirit: remembrance
John 14:26
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 things that I said to you.
When I was a teenager, it was common for young Christians to wear what was thought to be cool Christian apparel. The secular t-shirts with the slogan “no fear” were tweaked to become Christian t-shirts with the slogan “fear not”. Then we had the WWJD bracelets and necklaces and clothing and hats that posed the question every Christian should ask when faced with a decision: what would Jesus do? At the time I thought these were rather corny ways to show your pride in your faith. I thought it was uncool and pointless. What I misunderstood about all of this was that these things could serve a real purpose. They could remind me of biblical truths I need to recall at one time or another to speak life into a situation and give me confidence or faith. These corny vestiges of the Christian cool kid were doing what God’s spirit does in our lives daily.
Jesus was no stranger to our human condition. He lived among us in a natural body and suffered temptation and worldly evil just as we do today. He knew that humans are susceptible to fear and worry and anxiety. He knew that it would be difficult for a follower of his, no matter how faithful, to recall his promises during the difficult times that try to trick us into thinking that God is not on our side. It is one thing to be able to remember the words of Jesus when faced with a minor and easily corrected setback. It is another thing to have the faculty to recall scripture and rest on his promises during times of great persecution or pain or fear. When our bodies and our spirits want to buckle under the pressure, the Spirit of the Lord is there to fortify us by bringing to remembrance the words of Jesus Christ and the promises of God. It is God’s Holy Spirit that is charged with setting his words in our minds and on our hearts so that we can be directed and encouraged during the difficult times.
We can think of the Holy Spirit as a kind of alert. Whenever we need to recall the words of God, we need only ask the Spirit to remind us. The words spoken by the Lord while here on Earth are immensely valuable. These words give us hope and comfort and direction. They speak of the Father’s love for and devotion to us. They teach us knowledge that is necessary to grow in our relationship with God. They teach us wisdom that we need to walk out our daily lives faithfully and as good witnesses of our Savior. The teachings of Jesus, the words He spoke, will renew us and correct us and sustain us in accordance with God’s will. Father, thank You that your Spirit is here to remind us of the teachings of your Son, and help us to be wise enough to call upon that Spirit to refresh us daily with your word.