June 3 Daily Devotional

Bible Reading

John 16:12–15

Devotional

Every person is in need of guidance. We may think we can guide ourselves, but, whoever we are, we all need guidance. We do not have to be ashamed of this. We are, after all, human beings. It is, however, important by whom we are led. There are many blind leaders. And there are many people who wrongfully permit others to lead them to their eternal destruction.

The Lord Jesus knows well that His disciples need guidance. The Shepherd’s sheep will be scattered. Therefore, He promises them a Guide who will lead them when He departs from them into heaven. This Guide is the Holy Spirit. The Spirit will lead them in all truth.

The Lord’s promise awakened within the disciples an expectation for the coming of the Spirit of Pentecost. They had to wait patiently for the Spirit and they did. They persevered in prayer. The miracle of Pentecost was revealed to a praying congregation. It is such a rich promise to be led into all truth. There are many guides who will lead their followers into deceit but there is only One who will guide into truth.

What a marvelous gift, to receive a guide for life’s pathway! The Spirit is a guide for the blind, for those who can only grope in the dark, for those who seek without ever finding the way, and for those who do not know where they come from nor where they are going. This coming Guide is the promise of Pentecost and is given to the fatherless who have taken care of themselves and can no longer do it. In order to understand this promise, we must realize that the human heart is deceitful above all things. It is, therefore, meaningful to receive a guide. Walking in the chains of this world will lead us to the eternal night. We are in great need of a guide. Do you realize this? Ask then, for the Guide to lead you to the eternal light!

There is much grace in Christ’s promise of Pentecost. Christ died for those who deserved death. In their place, He paid the punishment of sin. It would have been eternally righteous if the Lord would let such people perish. But instead He not only dies for them, but He promises a Guide to direct them when He returns to the glories of heaven. Instead of receiving threats of death, they receive a promise. They must acknowledge:

In evil we have gone astray,
And sinful is our race;
Rebelliously our fathers walked,
Forgetful of Thy grace.
—Psalter 290:4

 

From The Everlasting Word by Frans Bakker, compiled and translated by Gerald R. Procee. Reformation Heritage Books and Free Reformed Publications, 2007. Used by permission. For further information, click here.