“If you love me, you will keep my commandments…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 that I have said to you.”

John 14:15, 26

God’s encouragement…

The answer is always Jesus and it is always about love. God’s love for us and our love for Him. The commandments attest to both—God commands out of love, and we are to keep the commandments out of love. Except…temptations, desires and cultural conflicts assail us continually. “Become alarmed!” or “Go along,” we are told. What is right and what is wrong is questioned. When our focus shifts from Jesus, our resolve to remember what He has said to us suffers, and our desire to show our love for Him by keeping His commandments wavers.

The solution is the Helper God sends to us. Jesus, in His love for us, does not leave us on our own to keep His commandments.

God knows our frailty and gives us His gift—the Holy Spirit—in response. When we desire someone or something more than Him, the Holy Spirit intercedes to realign our priorities and restore our reverence of Him. The Holy Spirit brings to our remembrance His love for us and the infinite value of our close relationship with Him through Jesus Christ, our Lord. With our joy in God’s salvation restored, we are renewed and strengthened. We go forth with the good news that God will respond to our humble prayers for help.

King David, in Psalm 51, spells this out. The Psalm was written by David after Nathan the Prophet revealed his transgression with Bathsheba. In verse 10, David addresses the condition of his heart. He asks God to create a clean heart in him and to renew a right spirit. In verse 11, David asks God not to cast him from His presence or take His Holy Spirit from him. In verse 12, David asks for what he needs most, the restoration of his joy in God’s salvation. In verse 13, David promises to teach God’s ways to transgressors so they will return to Him. David taught me! His lesson is joyfully recounted to share with you this day!

Psalm 51:10-13
Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right spirit within me. Cast me not away from your presence, and take not your Holy Spirit from me. Restore to me the joy of your salvation, and uphold me with a willing spirit. Then I will teach transgressors your ways, and sinners will return to you.

The story of David and Bathsheba is found in 2 Samuel 11, 12

To assemble a list to link to other posts from a category, click the category tag at the top of the page, or visit the Posts page.

Image: Adobe Stock image with heart added and watercolor filter applied