Who is the Helper in your life?
by Pastor Peter Bean
Click here to download your printable verse to carry with you today.
I will send you the Helper from the Father (John 15:26).
If you glance at various versions of the Bible, you will read many descriptive words in this verse. The Helper is variously translated as comforter, advocate, counsellor, friend, spirit. So I guess we have a choice as to how we imagine, or more correctly, realise, the Holy Spirit living in us.
Perhaps the Holy Spirit of God is all of these things listed above, or at least has characteristics of a helper, comforter, advocate, counsellor, friend and spirit. That makes some sense to me because then the Holy Spirit is not just a helper, comforter, advocate, counsellor, friend or spirit but is all-encompassing – God living in us!
We know Christ lives in us (Galatians 2:20) through the Holy Spirit. We receive Christ through the Holy Spirit whenever we come to communion. We are constantly reassured through the forgiveness of sins that Christ lives in us through the Holy Spirit. So, this all-encompassing support from God is ours.
This leads me to ask whether we do well to turn the title question around. Just as in the story of the Good Samaritan, Jesus turned the question from ‘Who is my neighbour?’ to ‘To whom can I be a neighbour?’ (Luke 10:29,36). Perhaps, in addition to asking, ‘Who is the helper in your life?’, we can ask, ‘To whom can I be a helper?’ (comforter, advocate, counsellor, friend?). If Christ lives in us through the Holy Spirit – and I give thanks for that – how can I support, encourage, advise, listen and be with those in need? We have it in us to do so. Let’s look for opportunities.
Thank you, Holy Spirit of God, for living in me and filling me with Christ-like qualities. Strengthen me, encourage me and embolden me to be the helper, comforter, advocate, counsellor and friend that my neighbour needs. Amen.
- Click here to read previous devotions.
- We are also posting them on LCA Facebook, making it easy for you to share them with family and friends.
- Sign up to receive Daily Devotion in your inbox every morning. If you’re already doing that, please encourage others to sign up. Click here for the link.
