Spirit

Charles Spurgeon speaks of The Holy Spirit from his sermon, “The Comforter.”

“I am in distress, And I want consolation. Some passer-by hears of my sorrow, and steps within, sits down and assays to cheer me; he speaks soothing words but he loves me not; he is a stranger; he knows me not at all; he is only come in to try his skill.  And what is the consequence? His words run over me like oil on a slab of marble. They are like the pattering rain upon the rock; they do not break my grief; It stands unmoved as adamant, because he has no love for me.”

“But let someone who loves me dear as his own life come and plead with me, then truly his words are music, They taste like honey. He knows the password of the doors of my heart, and my ear is attentive to every word. I catch the intonation of each syllable as it falls; it is like the harmony of the harps of heaven.”

Passionate and sincere love, rare, finds its way into our hearts — through Our Comforter, The Holy Spirit.

Vyacheslav Ivanov remarks however, “…Love can exist only in a world of truth (reality), whereas hatred can blaze in a world of illusion.” quoted from his book, “Dostoevsky.”

John 16:13 teaches, “Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth…“

God’s truth Is where love dwells, and the Holy Spirit sheds-abroad that love In the hearts of truth-seeking men. So, the daily task of the believer Is to leave all illusion behind at the cross, and enter Into God’s reality.

There’s more, “Now the Lord is that Spirit: and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty.” 2 Corinthians 3:17

Love dwells in truth, and also in Liberty — Freedom from the illusory self.

Modern Jewish history illustrates what can happen after tragic distress:

Emil Fackenheim, Jewish thinker, wrote, “We are first commanded to survive as Jews lest Jewish people perish.” “We are commanded, second, to remember in our very guts and bones, the Martyrs of the Holocaust, lest their memory perish.” We are forbidden thirdly To deny or despair of God …Lest Judaism perish.”  etc.” however:

Micheal Wyschogrod, Jewish thinker counters, “I cannot see why, if  I am a secular non-believing Jew It is incumbent upon me to preserve Judaism because Hitler wished to destroy it. What was incumbent upon me was to destroy Hitler. but, once this is accomplished the free choice of every individual is restored and no further Hitler-driven burdens rest on the non-believing Jew. “

So, what are we saying? To quote many, “life is tragic” — for Christian, Jew or Gentile. But in the tragedies of life, men must find or re-find Love — but also Reality and Liberty. Indeed this is the whole purpose found in the tragedies, whether large or small. Though tragedies magnify themselves as the sole reality, we are sadly deceived If we pick up their hatred or misguided resolve and drive our lives forward with it. We will lie down in sorrow, we will not accomplish our goals. We will not find love. Our free volition will be bound and truth will embrace a lie.

Another thing illustrated about The Spirit . “he has… insulted the Spirit, from whom comes grace?” Hebrews 10:29 Weymouth translation

Taking a rigid stance after the terrible Jewish slaughter would seem most normal as Fackenheim notes. He also mentions the natural outcome of despair. Who could blame any? But, The Spirit also gives Grace. Without Grace it’s impossible to have faith, which makes it impossible to see or please God. And, we must see God.

We must never insult our one and only Comforter, but we may do this often.

Hatred, revenge, retaliation or pay-back will shut out the love of the one who loves us most, loves us for real, desires to free us, and is willing to love us unconditionally. Friends, forgive and let your true Lover, love you today. love ya