Psalm of Praise: Psalms 68:19-20
Praise be to the Lord, to God our Saviour,
who daily bears our burdens.
Our God is a God who saves;
from the Sovereign Lord comes escape from death.
Bible Reading: John 16:5-7
Now I am going to him who sent me.
None of you asks me, 'Where are you going?'
Rather, you are filled with grief because I have said these things.
But 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.
A Reflection:
Change is rarely easy and moving on can be hard, whether it’s for a homesick child on their first night away from home and parents, or for parents missing a child who has grown up and gone off to university or moved out into their own home. Changing jobs can be difficult as can moving house. In all of these situations it is easy to see things just from our own perspective and to ignore the perspective of others involved.
When Jesus was preparing his disciples for his immanent departure they were so wrapped up in their own grief that they ignored what this would mean for Jesus.
When there are times of change in our own lives, let us not be so preoccupied with our own concerns that we fail to respond with compassion to others who are facing the same loss.
It must have been difficult for Jesus’ disciples to believe his words, ‘It is for your good that I am going away.’ We too can struggle to believe that good can come out of grief and loss, but we worship the God of resurrection and so we are never without hope.
Before Jesus left his disciples he prepared them as best as he could for his departure and he promised them the presence of his Holy Spirit to be with them, to guide them and to equip them to continue his ministry.
It was necessary for Jesus to die and rise again in order to secure salvation for all who believe in him, but it was also good that he went away because only then could his Holy Spirit be sent, only then could the Good News go out to the nations, only then could you and I find salvation and receive the Holy Spirit ourselves.
If you are facing change of any kind, God’s Holy Spirit is present with you, to comfort you, to guide you and to lead you into the future. It is indeed good that he went away.
Pray:
Lord Jesus, thank you that you have sent your Holy Spirit to be with me.
in all of the changes that I face in life, help me to respond with your compassion to all who are facing similar changes. Amen
The King is among us, His Spirit is here.
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