God Views June 2007

by Dawn Sandquist

“And while staying with them He ordered them not to depart from Jerusalem, but to wait for the promise of the Father…the Holy Spirit…” Acts 1: 4, 5b (ESV)
“If you then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will the heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask Him!” Luke 11:13 (ESV)

The celebration of Pentecost marks the beginning of the Holy Spirit’s reign on earth as God’s sovereign representative. Our celebration of Father’s Day is a day to honor specific men as well as the institution of fatherhood, which is much maligned today. I thought it fitting to combine both for this reason – God is a good Father who gives only good gifts and one of the greatest gifts He has given us is the Holy Spirit.

The wonderful thing about our heavenly Father is that He has always been a Father. He didn’t find Himself staring at a Son one day and realized that He was now a Dad so He had to learn how to be one. He always was one. We just didn’t know Him. Jesus, His wonderful Son, made a way for us who were far away to now draw near to Him and say “Abba – Daddy! I am your child. I have come home to You!” He knows how to receive us and what gifts to give us! No one can come close to the goodness and generosity of our Heavenly Father who only gives good gifts.

He gave His Son and then He didn’t leave us on our own, He gave us the Holy Spirit who is our power to live. He is a mystery meant to be unfolded every day. He is a reality meant to be lived every day. He is heavenly, yet He is ever present. He is humble yet He raised Christ from the dead so He is no sensitive pushover. However, we can offend Him and people have “outraged the Spirit of grace.” (Hebrews 10:29b) He certainly has been known to withdraw but not because His feelings are hurt and He’s taking it all personally, but because He has a job to do and He is looking for those who will cooperate. He is diligent and determined, full of conviction and comfort. He is a study in contrasts and both He and Father are comfortable with that reality.

Father wants us to live lives that are full of purpose and filled with the knowledge that we are apprehending all that we were apprehended for. Holy Spirit is the One who gives us gifts and places us in the Body at His discretion. It’s up to Holy Spirit to call forth and cultivate those gifts in us. Our job is to cooperate. Father has given us this wonderful gift of the Holy Spirit so that we can truly live. The Promise of our Father is a good gift. If you haven’t asked for Him to be real in your life then open your mouth and ask! Father will make certain you know this wonderful Being who is a promised gift for victorious, power filled living.

Obviously, in God’s View, the Holy Spirit is a promise He kept and He remains one of the best gifts we could receive next to Christ Himself. This Father’s Day, say “yes” to your Heavenly Father and accept His wonderful promise and gift of the Holy Spirit. Learning to live life with Him is so rewarding on so many levels. I don’t know how people live without the reality of His presence. He is God’s View of living!