The Holy Spirit

Come, Oh, Come, Thou Quickening Spirit

With our spirit bear Thou witness
That we are the sons of God
Who rely upon Him solely
When we pass beneath the rod;
For we know, as children should,
That the cross is for our good.

Prompt us, Lord, to come before Him
With a childlike heart to pray;
Sigh in us, O Holy Spirit,
When we know not what to say.
Then our prayer is not in vain,
And our faith new strength shall gain.

If our soul can find no comfort,
If despondency grows strong,
And the hear cries out in anguish:
"O my God, how long, how long?"
Comfort then our aching breast,
Grant it courage, patience, rest.

J. Christoph Bach, 1680

I was recently talking with a friend who is struggling with not feeling God's presence, nor seeing His working in her life. This is such a hard place to rest... Yet, having been there before, I can take comfort in knowing that God is good! He graciously allows us, when we distance ourselves from him, to return. It takes time... sometimes I forget that. Living in such an instantaneous society, we can sometimes push aside the fact that most things in life actually take time to bring about, and the waiting period can provide deep blessing. I am comforted by the words in this old hymn, describing the precious workings of the Holy Spirit. It is though Him that we can sense the very nearness of God. Praise Jesus for He has never left us!

thus it is written, that the Christ should suffer and on the third day rise from the dead, and that repentance and forgiveness of sins should be proclaimed in his name to all the nations, beginning from Jerusalem. You are witnesses of these things. And behold, I am sending the promise of my Father upon you. --Luke 24:46-49