Daily Devotions 19th Aug 2017

John 16: 20You will grieve, but your grief will turn to joy

As with our human nature, when death occurs grief will follow. This is natural and innate in us, irrespective of all races and cultures when a new born baby arrives, there is great joy among the people but when there is death and someone passes away whether they are believers or not there is grief.

As for the believers, the grief is less as we know that our loved ones have gone to be with the Lord but for the unbelievers who have no hope, we generally see much grief and lamentation.

In this instance Jesus was on the eve of His crucifixion and He knew that He had to die on the cross and His disciples would be most grieved because they loved Him so much. However Jesus comforted them that soon after the grief, they would rejoice because they would be seeing Him again after the resurrection. In fact Jesus was with them for forty days before He finally ascended back to heaven.

Before Jesus ascended, He promised them that He will send the Holy Spirit who would be their comforter, counsellor, teacher and also empowerer. Of course today we see that all these that Jesus promised did come to pass. When the Holy Spirit was poured out upon the disciples, all their timidity left them, they were no longer afraid rather they were embolden by the Holy Spirit and they began their ministries of going everywhere preaching the gospel.

Finally we also see that the scriptures confirmed that the disciples were overjoyed by the number of conversions of the people who heard the gospel both Jews and gentiles. This was confirmed in  Acts 13: 52 And the disciples were filled with joy and with the Holy Spirit.

He has now given us the same Holy Spirit who is working and residing in us in Roms 15: 13 Now may the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that you may abound in hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.

Also in 1 Peter 1: 8-9  Christ who having not seen you love, though now you do not see Him, yet believing, you rejoice with joy inexpressible and full of glory, receiving the end of your faith –the salvation of your souls.

The Holy Spirit has given us the faith to believe and trust in Jesus whom we have not seen but yet we believe because the Holy spirit has opened our spiritual eyes.