I remember the day like it was yesterday. I was standing in the breezeway of my high school, watching my crush as he headed toward the door. He had invited me to hang out and in the pit of my stomach, I knew it was a bad idea. Even though I had no good excuse to render, something quite literally stopped me from saying yes. A gust of wind picked up some dust and in no time, I was doubled over in a coughing fit. My crush awkwardly headed towards the door and as soon as he was out of sight, the coughing stopped. In a strange little moment, I had been protected by nothing more than the wind.
Another time I was at the park, watching my kids play when I saw a woman nearby, hands shaking. Something told me to go talk to her and as I did, she cried and told me she was struggling with an addiction. As we talked and prayed, I held her hands and reminded her that God was with her. I remember her hands intermittently squeezing mine - an impulse she couldn’t control. I believe God sent me to her that day and I’m forever grateful for that. These stories are so little, so ordinary, that they would be easy to just mentally file as coincidence.
I sometimes think about my small life and look on with wonder at a series like ‘The Chosen’. What if I had lived back then? Who would I have been in that story? If you’ve ever seen the series, I’m sure you’ve been fascinated by the vulnerable characters and the beautiful landscape. It’s also striking to view a completely analog world – no devices in sight. But the most captivating part, is putting a face to the name Jesus. Can you imagine getting to hug Jesus? Or ask Him a question? What would it be like to take a walk, share a meal or hear the creator of our world crack a joke?
When you think of how epic that would be, it’s crazy to imagine that Jesus said that what we have today, the Holy Spirit, is even better. In John 16:7 Jesus says, “…very truly I tell you, it is for your good that I am going away. Unless I go away, the Advocate will not come to you; but if I go, I will send him to you.”
Now the disciples had to hear about this after they had watched Jesus be crucified and raised to life again. If ever there was a time to pepper Jesus with their questions, this was it. And yet, He still said it was better for them if He went away. As hard as this is to grasp, they lived in a world we never knew – a world without the Holy Spirit. Only they can speak to what life was like before with Jesus incarnate, and after with the Holy Spirit.
In our very digital world, in stark contrast to Jesus’ time, it takes intention to tune into the voice of the Holy Spirit. Attention has become a very valuable commodity that we often have to work to reclaim it. But when we do, we experience all of what the Holy Spirit brings to us: Guidance, Encouragement, Comfort, Intercession, Conviction and Spiritual Gifts. The disciples got to see some of these traits for the first time in the tangible person of Jesus. But we were gifted these from the very first moment we chose faith.