Reflections on the Holy Spirit

I was reading through John for that reference on the Holy Spirit being sent to followers of Christ. It was in John 14:15-16. It's an amazing verse. Most Christians today have no idea how amazing it is. I glanced at a couple things and noticed something, this is not the first time that the Spirit or the Angel of God is mentioned. In John there is this wonderful picture of God revealing himself as this mysterious guide that you have to follow. This has major implications for a Jew, but hold on to that thought. It also begins to talk about the followers of God following obeying the commands of God, if you have them. In verses 23-24 goes into a talk of obeying God all over again. He was kind of responding to Judas asking why he would not reveal himself to the world. Essentially that is probably getting into the idea that Christ would make himself known through liberating the Jews from the rule of others. That was not what Christ wanted. But that is another entry.

I am seeing something very familiar in this passage. Something old and very definitive to the Jewish nation. Look in Exodus and you'll start to see something familiar. You have to start reading into the Law of Moses. I know it's initially a boring section, but amazing things open up if you study this law and deeper understanding of Christ comes to your mind. Look in Exodus 23:20-23. Do you see it yet. Simply amazing. Christ was using the past Jewish experience to create a new exodus for His following. The Jews needed guidance to journey to the promised land. They did not know where they were going and they were constantly in need of reminders as to what God had done in freeing them. They would forget the Lord's works. They would even want to turn back to Egypt. So God says, "Hey, did you forget what I did? Have you forgotten what slavery was like for you? I tell you what, my Spirit/Angel is going to lead you home. It'll be awhile before you get there, but hang in there. I love you and you love me, and if that is the case, nothing can stop you." Compare that to what Jesus said to his disciples. It sheds a whole new meaning to what Christ was trying to do. Remeber that Christ was speaking a plural you to these disciples. He was telling them that the Spirit was a guide to all of them. Moses wrote the same way in the Law. I am giving you (all) a guide. God has always been in the business of guiding those who want to take part in the journey. The Spirit is all about a community moving on a journey to reach the promised place of rest.

So what could this possibly mean. Well, we all know that it was only through the journey that the nation could reach it's goal. They would finally reach their place of rest and that is the end of that chapter of the Jewish story. The same can be applied to us. We are all on this journey. And I am wanting to emphasize the fact that I say ALL(People following God). ALL are on this journey. ALL have forgotten and will forget the Lord at times. ALL will always struggle with obstacles on this path. ALL WILL NEED THE GUIDANCE OF GOD'S SPIRIT. None of us are so in love that we could skip a desire to sin. It's part of our history. It's part of our hearts and minds. But the Spirit guides the failing man. The successful man needs no guide. So just as the Jewish nation had a guide the promised land, so do we.