Category: Holy Spirit

  • The Paraclete

    The Helper Who Softens Life’s Falls

    If you have read Gleanings for any length of time, you know that I have tried parachuting a couple of times. The last time I tried, I collided with a gopher hole on landing and broke one of my legs. I haven’t done it since, but I still get an adrenaline rush when I see skydivers.

    The concept of a parachute is older than you probably think, dating back to Leonardo da Vinci, who seemed to have borrowed the idea from someone else. He had sketches of a rigid-frame device.

    According to the Saturday Evening Post,

    “The first “modern” soft parachute, as well as the name for it, came from the work of Frenchman Jean-Pierre Blanchard. Blanchard was obsessed with air travel. Not only did he invent the first soft, silk parachute, but he was also the first person to cross the English Channel by air … in a hot-air balloon. He was also the first person to successfully use his soft parachute during an emergency. According to him, at least: He claims that he used a parachute to escape an exploding hot air balloon, but no one else was around to verify it… Blanchard is credited with coining the word parachute in 1784, and his supposed emergency use of it was in 1793.”

    The word para – originates in Latin and means to prevent. The word chute stems from a French word meaning to fall. A parachute prevents or softens a fall.

    A similar word in Greek is also para, but it means to come alongside.

    The Greek combines para (alongside) and the word kaleó (to call) – paraclete. The paraclete is the one who comes alongside to comfort, help, advocate and more.

    Like a parachute helps control the falling skydiver, the paraclete is given to help us. Jesus promises we will have this helper.

     “If you love me, you will keep my commandments. And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Helper, to be with you forever, even the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees him nor knows him. You know him, for he dwells with you and will be in you John 14:15-17 ESV

    The Holy Spirit is the Paraclete. He indwells believers to advocate for us, comfort us, guide us, teach us, intercede on our behalf, and so much more.

    If you are tired, overwhelmed, lonely or in distress, you don’t stand alone. The promised Paraclete lives within you to help carry you through, soften life’s falls, and protect you. 

    What a blessing.

    Kevin

    SUMMARY

    The Holy Spirit is the Paraclete, the Helper Jesus promised, who comes alongside us. If we are tired, overwhelmed, lonely or in distress, we don’t stand alone.

    TAKEAWAY

    Like a parachute helps control a falling skydiver, the Paraclete is given to help you.

    The Holy Spirit is the Helper Jesus promised. He indwells believers to advocate for you, comfort you, guide you, teach you, and intercede on your behalf.

    If you are tired, overwhelmed, lonely or in distress, you don’t stand alone. The Paraclete lives within you to help carry you through, soften life’s falls, and protect you.

    YOU MIGHT ALSO LIKE

    Celebrate your identity in Christ

    Right living or right belief?

    Is self help the answer?

    Busy beaver – another helper

  • Ruach: Wind, Breath, and the Holy Spirit Who Gives Life

    I watched the wind blow across the countryside through the wheat fields. The waves of wheat reminded me of the ocean. The view changed moment by moment at the wind’s whim.

    The train of thought is too long to explain, but I ended up thinking of wind in the bible. The Hebrew word is ruach, but it means much more than wind.  It also means breath and spirit. One word, three meanings.

    I think the word leaves a fabulous trail through the Scriptures

    We see the spirit, the wind, the breath of God from the very beginning. 

    The earth was without form and void, and darkness was over the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God was hovering over the face of the waters. Genesis 1:2 ESV

    A few verses later, God breaths life into Adam. A different word is used, but it’s still God’s Spirit.

    Fast forward to Ezekiel standing in the valley of dry bones. The Spirit breathes life into the dead bones, and they rise.

    The hand of the Lord was upon me, and he brought me out in the Spirit of the Lord and set me down in the middle of the valley; it was full of bones. And he led me around among them, and behold, there were very many on the surface of the valley, and behold, they were very dry. And he said to me, “Son of man, can these bones live?” And I answered, “O Lord God, you know.” Then he said to me, “Prophesy over these bones, and say to them, O dry bones, hear the word of the Lord. Thus says the Lord God to these bones: Behold, I will cause breath to enter you, and you shall live. And I will lay sinews upon you, and will cause flesh to come upon you, and cover you with skin, and put breath in you, and you shall live, and you shall know that I am the Lord.” So I prophesied as I was commanded. And as I prophesied, there was a sound, and behold, a rattling, and the bones came together, bone to its bone. And I looked, and behold, there were sinews on them, and flesh had come upon them, and skin had covered them. But there was no breath in them. Then he said to me, “Prophesy to the breath; prophesy, son of man, and say to the breath, Thus says the Lord God: Come from the four winds, O breath, and breathe on these slain, that they may live.” So I prophesied as he commanded me, and the breath came into them, and they lived and stood on their feet, an exceedingly great army. Ezekiel 37:1-10 ESV

    Now let’s skip ahead to the New Testament; the wording is Greek now, not Hebrew, but it’s the same Spirit.

    Jesus is speaking… 

    And when he had said this, he breathed on them and said to them, “Receive the Holy Spirit. John 20:22 ESV

    God’s Holy Spirit is the giver of life and rebirth. 

    When you feel as dry and empty as dead bones, remember where life comes from. It’s God who gives life; turn to Him. Breathe Him in again.

    May you be filled with the Spirit today.

    Kevin

    SUMMARY

    Watching wind move through a wheat field sent me tracing ruach, the Hebrew word for wind, breath, and spirit. From Genesis to Ezekiel’s dry bones to John, it shows that God’s Holy Spirit is the giver of life and rebirth.

    TAKEAWAY

    Ruach means wind, breath, and spirit, so the Spirit of God hovering over the waters in Genesis 1:2 is the same breath of God you can trace through all of Scripture.

    In Ezekiel’s valley, the bones had sinews, flesh, and skin, yet no breath was in them until God sent it. The life you need is His to give.

    When you feel as dry and empty as dead bones, remember where life comes from. Turn to God and breathe Him in again, the same Holy Spirit Jesus gave with a breath in John 20:22.

    CONSIDER THESE POSTS

    The gospel – the best news ever.

    Celebrate your identity in Christ

    Sailing – tossed about on the waves

    The Sentinel