^“May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit”  Romans 15:13

In many sections of the country when the snow is flying and the winds are brisk outside, it’s great to settle down under a thick warm bed comforter.  The comforter warms us well and enables us to face the cold weather ahead. When the milder months arrive, we cast off our comforter for another day when the climate becomes unfriendly again.  I don’t know about you, but I wonder if we sometimes do that in our spiritual lives as well.  Once we begin to feel warm and cozy, we fail to appreciate what made us that way and toss it aside.  For those who walk with Christ, one comes to realize that they never want to be on the Journey for very long without their Holy Comforter.

After His death and resurrection, Jesus’ disciples struggled with having full understanding that they were going to be without Him.  Although the Holy Spirit had always been there, it was His physical presence to which they had become accustomed.  But Jesus said to them, ^“And I will pray the Father, and He will give you another Helper, that He may abide with you forever— the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees Him nor knows Him; but you know Him, for He dwells with you and will be in you.  I will not leave you orphans; I will come to you” (John 14:16-18).

Whenever I go on a lengthy trip in my car, I am unable to complete the journey if I don’t stop occasionally and refuel. The same is true with us on our Life Journey.  We are like empty vessels that need to be regularly filled.  Sometimes our emptiness occurs because of unexpected events that happen in our lives.  At other times we find ourselves traveling down the wrong path struggling to locate our true north because our moral compass has somehow failed. But the good news is that the Holy Comforter is there to redirect and empower us.  “Therefore, if anyone cleanses himself from what is dishonorable, he will be a vessel for honorable use, set apart as holy, useful to the master of the house, ready for every good work” (2 Timothy 2:21).

Through the ages, those who were close to God understood the significance of His Holy Comforter.  David recognized its sustenance (Psalm 51:10-12). In his letter to the church at Ephesus, Paul referenced the fulfillment of Christ’s promise (Ephesians 1:13).  It is, in fact, our regular refilling and the comfort we receive that equips us for service to others. God’s Word tells that “He comforts us in all our troubles so that we can comfort others. When they are troubled, we will be able to give them the same comfort God has given us” (2 Cor. 1:4). I am reminded of the concluding words to the Dottie Rambo song, “Touch Through Me, Holy Spirit” –

“My hand will be Your hand reaching out to others;
My lips will not be slothful, Lord to speak.
I will be that good Samaritan to someone else in need.
I will be Your house to dwell in, live through me.
Flow through me Holy Spirit, love through me Holy Spirit,
Touch through me Holy Spirit . . . touch through me.”

So then, lead me to the filling station, Lord, so I can be about your business.

REFLECTION: Do you realize your need to depend on Him for your spiritual wellness? Have you considered that you likely need to be emptied before He can fill you? Are you patient and committed to waiting until you have been “clothed with power from on high” (Luke 24:49) ?

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