I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Helper, to be with you for ever. This is the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees him nor knows him. You know him, because he abides with you, and he will be in you.
John 14 : 16 – 17
This week’s reading : John 14 : 15 - 21
If we are honest, I think we all like freedom, and choices, and finding our own way. Often we are not great at being told what to do. Often we have to know why we have to obey rules before we’ll obey them!
In our Gospel reading Jesus tells us, ‘if we love Him we will keep His commandments’. But why, and what are they?
We know we are to keep the Ten Commandments, and they make so much sense in revering the Lord and in enabling others to live and thrive.
Yet Jesus gave us so many other commandments. ‘Forgive those who sin against you’, ‘Pray always’ ‘Make disciples’, Love one another’, ‘Believe that Jesus is in the Father’, ‘Repent’. ‘Do this in Remembrance of me’
As we keep these and all Jesus’ commandments they have a transforming effect in our lives, and in the world. They become visible signs of the Kingdom. They enable the world to see who Jesus is, and the difference He makes in our lives.
As we are filled with the Holy Spirit, so those around us will see Jesus in our lives, as we live in Him.
Rev Paul
Prayer for today
God our redeemer,
you have delivered us from the power of darkness
and brought us into the kingdom of your Son:
grant, that as by his death he has recalled us to life,
so by his continual presence in us he may raise us
to eternal joy;
through Jesus Christ your Son our Lord,
Amen
We worship the God who inhabits our world
and indwells our lives.
We need not look up to find God,
we need only to look around:
within ourselves,
beyond ourselves,
into the eyes of another.
We need not listen for a distant thunder to find God,
we need only listen to the music of life,
the words of children,
the questions of the curious,
the rhythm of a heartbeat.
We worship the God who inhabits our world
and who indwells our lives.
~ posted on the Presbyterian Church USA website. https://www.pcusa.org/site_media/media/uploads/peacemaking/pdf/mlk-resources.pdf