Your Advantage
“Nevertheless, I tell you the truth. It is to your advantage that I go away; for if I do not go away, the Helper will not come to you; but if I depart, I will send Him to you.” John 16:7
When your children grow up and move out of your house, often times it can be a traumatic time. You will go through many feelings such as: pleased that they have grow up and are ready to start living their own live, sad that the daily time you had with them in close proximity is over and even remorse that you didn’t get to do all the things you wanted to while they were in your home. With that flood of emotions, you rarely consider that it is to your advantage. You don’t think about what is coming next, you are mostly in that moment thinking your little baby birds have left the nest.
But then, so many wonderful things start happening. First of all, those once little ones are now flying freely and discovering good things in life. You watch as they begin to make good choices that you prepared them for all the years, they were with you. Then your family begins to grow and instead of losing one, you begin to gain so much more. Your family starts doubling and even tripling with more sons and daughters, grandchildren and even in-laws. If you had not let that little one go, you would miss out on so many blessings in this life.
In today’s passage, Jesus told the disciples that He was about to leave this world. What really stands out about His words is that He said, “It was to their advantage for Him to leave so He could send the Holy Spirit.” They didn’t get it. They were sad that He was leaving, but even more, they were afraid what would happen after He was gone. He said He was leaving, but He was going to send them help to reach the whole world with the good news of His Salvation; a Helper who would empower them to love others so much that they would go into the battle fields and rescue multitudes. Then when they were gone, the Holy Spirit would continue that work through the next generation that could keep handing off His power to the next one coming up. Not only was the Holy Spirit the Helper, He was also the Comforter when they were sorrowful and the Counselor when they needed wisdom. The Holy Spirit was the gift of God to His people for whatever they were facing in life and He came to be with all who would carry Him with them.
Before He said all this, He said, “I’m telling you the truth about this.” (It was like He was saying pay attention to what I’m saying now because it is for real!) Why did He have to say that? Obviously, He wanted to make sure they were paying attention so that they could be comforted with these word after He was taken away from them. How could it be better for them if He went away? They had walked with Him and learned from Him every day. Jesus wanted them to understand that when He left, the Helper would come in His place, the Helper would be with them all the time and everywhere they went. There would never be a time that He would not be with them. Jesus, in His physical body, could never do that. He would always be limited by His location and time. Not only that, but the Holy Spirit (the Helper) would be in the world until the end of the age. So, He could be with us even today; everywhere we go and whatever we do. If Jesus were on the earth today, He would still be limited to be in one place at a time. The Helper can be everywhere at once. This is truly to our advantage, and I am so thankful for Him!
Jesus told the disciples it was to their advantage for Him to leave, but it was also for our advantage even today. Interestingly enough, He doesn’t even mention the cross at this time. The most important thing He wanted them to understand and remember was that help was coming! The Holy Spirit was up next and He would be the greatest gift from God to help them in their daily walk and stay with them until the end.
Today I want to encourage you to consider the Holy Spirit, the Helper. How blessed we are that Jesus sent Him to come along side us in life to help. Recognize that just as it is to your advantage when your children grow up and your life grows fuller with love and joy for the fullness of their life, it is also to your advantage that Jesus paid the price and then empowered you to live a full life by sending the Holy Spirit. Whatever you face you have someone to help you get through. How wonderful it is that He continues from generation to generation so our children and our grandchildren can be empowered, too. He truly is a gift from God, and I want to encourage you to thank God for Him and ask for a renewing of His presence with you today.
Today’s scripture reading: John 16:1-11
1 “These things I have spoken to you, that you should not be made to stumble.
2 They will put you out of the synagogues; yes, the time is coming that whoever kills you will think that he offers God service.
3 And these things they will do to you because they have not known the Father nor Me.
4 But these things I have told you, that when the time comes, you may remember that I told you of them. And these things I did not say to you at the beginning, because I was with you.
5 “But now I go away to Him who sent Me, and none of you asks Me, ‘Where are You going?’
6 But because I have said these things to you, sorrow has filled your heart.
7 Nevertheless I tell you the truth. It is to your advantage that I go away; for if I do not go away, the Helper will not come to you; but if I depart, I will send Him to you.
8 And when He has come, He will convict the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment:
9 of sin, because they do not believe in Me;
10 of righteousness, because I go to My Father and you see Me no more;
11 of judgment, because the ruler of this world is judged.
The Daily Dose 