What my Father has promised (Dan Wells)

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“I am going to send you what my Father has promised…” (Luke 24:49)

 As Jesus prepares for his ascension, he tells his disciples what is coming. Jesus will send what the Father has promised. He is talking about the Holy Spirit.

Jesus tells us that the Holy Spirit, among other things, is both a gift and a promise. I am going to send you the Holy Spirit, says Jesus. The Spirit is not something we can earn or achieve or deserve. He is a gift, given by a loving Father at the request of the Son.

Do you ever wish you could have more of the Spirit’s presence and power in your life? If so, that’s a very good desire! But we can think that and then try and do things to gain more of the Spirit. If only I were holier, or busier, or preached more, or sang more, then the Spirit would be more present. But the Spirit can’t be earned, only given. He is a gift. Just ask your Father for more of the Spirit and then wait on him to answer.

The Spirit is also a promise. Do you ever find yourself thinking, God seems to have blessed this person or that person with great spiritual gifts, but not me. Has God forgotten about me?

No, God has not forgotten you and he can never forget you. He has promised his Spirit to you and he has placed his Spirit within you. The Spirit might work differently in you to other people, and that’s okay. But it does not mean you are forgotten. God has promised you his Spirit and God never forgets or breaks his promise.

Gracious God, thank you for the gift of the Holy Spirit. Thank you that he lives with me, not because I earned the right, but because of your grace. Thank you that you keep your promise to me to fill me with your power and your presence. Amen.

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