You Are Never Alone

Peter replied, “Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. (Acts 2:38)

It’s amazing how easily we take things for granted. A new cell phone fills us with “wow factor” when we first get it, but a month later it seems ordinary to us. We worry incessantly over a vexing challenge but soon after it is resolved we forget the relief and joy we felt over the appearance of the solution.

We forget the past which derails our present and distorts our view of the future. And our greatest forgetfulness is often about the Holy Spirit.

Not a force, but a person, the Holy Spirit was present at the creation of all things (Gen. 1:2). In ancient times, God selectively poured out his Holy Spirit on certain people for specific tasks. Kings were given the Spirit to rule effectively. Craftsmen were given the Spirit to create beautifully. Prophets were given the Spirit to speak God’s Word faithfully.

But a new era dawned with the coming of Jesus. Because he was the divine Son of God and the ideal human, we may assume that he was self-sufficient. But Jesus needed the Holy Spirit throughout his life. The Spirit descended upon Jesus at his Baptism to commission and empower him as he began his ministry. On the Day of Pentecost, Peter said, “Exalted to the right hand of God, [Jesus] has received from the Father the promised Holy Spirit and has poured out what you now see and hear” (Acts 2:33).

Through Holy Baptism, Jesus washes us clean of all our sin and brings us into himself. He makes us part of his Body and gives us the same status before our heavenly as he rightly possesses. In Jesus, we now have all that he has. So he naturally pours out on us what was earlier given to him: the Holy Spirit. Now the Holy Spirit is a universal gift who Jesus gives to every believer.

You don’t need to worry about being alone or falling short of God’s expectations for you because the Holy Spirit is always with you to comfort, encourage, direct and empower you. You are never alone.

Dear Jesus, thank you for the gift of the Holy Spirit. Dear Holy Spirit, help me to always trust that you are with me. Help me to hear your wisdom and encouragement. Amen.