Thought For Today: “The Promised Presence”

God promised that He would not discipline the children of Israel forever in their deportation and captivity to the Babylonians; not because of anything they did, but rather God was going to do it for His holy name’s sake, a name that they had defiled (Ezekiel 36:21-23).

In the process He would once again separate them from the other nations, sanctify and purify them, and place within them a new heart and spirit. And He would do all of this by placing within them His Spirit, the Holy Spirit.

“I will put My Spirit within you and cause you to walk in My statutes, and you will keep My judgments and do them.” (Ezekiel 36:27)

This same promise is for us, that through the indwelling presence of the Holy Spirit God will do His Kingdom work.

We have likewise profaned God’s name by the way we live, living more for the world than for God. And while God disciplines our waywardness, He promises He will redeem and restore us, and He does so in and through the indwelling presence of the Holy Spirit.

Jesus made to us this promise. “But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, He will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all things that I said to you.” (John 14:26)