Page 179 - That I May Know Him (1964)

The Coming of the Comforter, June 14
And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter,
that he may abide with you for ever; even the Spirit of truth; whom
the world cannot receive, because it seeth him not, neither knoweth
him: but ye know him; for he dwelleth with you, and shall be in you.
John 14:16, 17.
Christ was about to depart to His home in the heavenly courts, but
He assured His disciples that He would send them the Comforter, who
would abide with them forever. To the guidance of this Comforter all may
implicitly trust. He is the Spirit of truth; but this truth the world can neither
see nor receive....
Christ desired His disciples to understand that He would not leave them
orphans. “I will not leave you comfortless,” He declared: “I will come to
you” (John 14:18, 19).... Precious, glorious assurance of eternal life! Even
though He was to be absent, their relation to Him was to be that of a child
to its parent....
The words spoken to the disciples come to us through their words. The
Comforter is ours as well as theirs, at all times and in all places, in all
sorrows and in all affliction, when the outlook seems dark and the future
perplexing and we feel helpless and alone. These are times when the
Comforter will be sent in answer to the prayer of faith.
There is no comforter like Christ, so tender and so true. He is touched
with the feeling of our infirmities. His Spirit speaks to the heart. Circum-
stances may separate us from our friends; the broad, restless ocean may
roll between us and them. Though their sincere friendship may still exist,
they may be unable to demonstrate it by doing for us that which would
be gratefully received. But no circumstances, no distance, can separate
us from the heavenly Comforter. Wherever we are, wherever we may go,
He is always there, one given in Christ’s place, to act in His stead. He
is always at our right hand, to speak soothing, gentle words, to support,
sustain, uphold, and cheer. The influence of the Holy Spirit is the life of
Christ in the soul. This Spirit works in and through every one who receives
Christ. Those who know the indwelling of this Spirit reveal its fruit—love,
joy, peace, long-suffering, gentleness, goodness, faith.20 [172]
20The Review and Herald, October 26, 1897.
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