This devotion is our invitation into deeper fellowship with the Holy Spirit. He is the promised gift we celebrate at Pentecost.
Paraklétos (παράκλητος) is the Greek word John uses in recording Jesus’ teaching on the Holy Spirit. It only occurs 5 times in the New Testament (John 14:16, 26, 15:26, 16:7; 1 John 2:1) It is very difficult to find one English word that expresses the full meaning of Paraklétos. We will spend these few days looking at the various translations of this word and how each word speaks to the person of the Holy Spirit.
DAY 1 • HOLY SPIRIT: HELPER
PAUSE IN HIS PRESENCE
Take 1-2 minutes of stillness and silence to focus your scattered senses on the presence of God.
READ
And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Helper to be with you forever. (John 14:16 ESV)
REFLECT
In today’s verse Paraklétos is translated helper. Today in the Mediterranean world this word, Helper, can still be used in reference to a rescue boat that finds a vessel lost in desperation and leads frantic passengers back to safe harbor. The Holy Spirit is the one called alongside to help, who comes and finds me when I’m lost, alone, in desperation, and draws me back to the heart of the Father. The places I feel weak today do not have to be hidden and covered up but should be exposed in prayer to the God who is eager to help.*
CONVERSATION WITH GOD
- Pray for Holy Spirit’s help and provision for a person or an area of the world currently in a desperate situation.
- Pray for those areas of weakness or challenging situations in your life, inviting the help of the present and powerful Holy Spirit.
CLOSING
As I walk through this day, I take this truth with me:
- My help comes from the Lord who made heaven and earth (Psalm 121:2)
Thank you that the Holy Spirit is with me and dwells in me (John 14:17b).