Reflection: Give me the senses of this Saviour
If you, like John, are still leaning on the Master, since yesterday, you’ll hear something, out of all the Gospels, that only John records. John dedicates a treasure chest of five chapters to Jesus’ intimate conversations with his closest followers, and three of these focus on the Spirit.
Jesus, knowing his sacrificial death is imminent, is closeted with his closest friends to, like everyone in Jerusalem, commemorate freedom from slavery. Trust the devil to be lurking. But tonight, the powers of heaven and hell are palpable.
And in this context John bares the heart of Jesus. You can sense the round-table intimacy of the moment, can’t you? The room is pregnant with emotion: anticipation, uncertainty, fear, heaviness, confusion, devotion; each one wanting to express something, question everything, but emotion keeps them from assimilating anything. That’s when the Master discloses a gift to comfort. Well, the promise of a gift. It’s that shake-the-wrapped-gift-before-you-open moment.
God’s gift through his Son to all God’s people: long term intimacy with him.
The gift of the Spirit. Antidote to that unholy separation from God that goes back to the Fall.
The Holy Spirit—God himself, taking up permanent residence in his people…and renewing all Creation.
Prayer:
We treasure your gift with both hands, Father God.
Through your Spirit comfort, teach, inspire and energise us to keep trusting you.
Through intimacy may we reflect your sensibilities,
and through holy vitality transform into the image of the Lord Jesus.