The Comforter Will Come

  "Nevertheless I tell you the truth; it is expedient for you that I go away: for if I do not go away the Comforter will not come unto you; but if I depart, I will send Him to you..."  

- John 16:7

One of the greatest biblical treasures we have been given is the promise from Jesus that He will not leave us forsaken, but that "... I will send to you the Comforter." The Holy Spirit would have many manifestations in the life of Jesus's followers - Counselor, Teacher, Guide, Presence, and Light. But the inexplicable peace that transcends human understanding is the confidence that our pain is a portal to our purpose, and that God is present with us in the furnace!

Imagine being one of the disciples, trembling in the aftermath of the crucifixion, and the immanent persecution that was unleashed upon the early Christians... Imagine being arrested and thrown into prison for professing your allegiance to Jesus as Lord. What would it have been like to be thrown into the Lion's Den, or set ablaze by Nero's human torches outlining the city of Rome? When everything you have invested in gets massacred, your retirement savings is crucified, and you've lost your best friend or trusted leader, the Holy Spirit interrupts the work of the evil one and brings the promise of eternal security. 

I was at a funeral recently, in the aftermath of indescribable loss. As I lingered near the open casket, I could hear the hushed whispers and incoherently mumblings of guests trying to make sense of God's Sovereignty. When we don't know what to say, we often fall back on ritualistic comments about the way God works or the chief end of man. 

Perhaps we should limit our conversations to... "I don't know why this tragedy has happened, but I do know this: The Comforter will come." 

Christians are notorious for cliche answers in response to tragedy, aren't we? Despite our good intentions we can often give trite answers or confusing verses to explain why bad things happen to good people. Why are we so surprised when the hurricane hits your heart? Jesus promised, "In this world you will have trouble, but take comfort for I have overcome the world!" When the world around us is crumbling, and the news reports the triumph of evil, we can take hope in the promise of Jesus that the victory has been finished at the cross, and the Comforter will come.

To those who are grieving the loss of a loved one, the Comforter will come. To the exhausted among us who are searching for employment, the Comforter will come. To the heartbroken families missing their prodigal children, the Comforter will come. To the chronically sick and the terminally ill, the Comforter will come. To all of us who need a hug from our Abba Father, He has sent His Spirit to envelope us in a cosmic embrace. Take comfort!

 Jay DePoy