A Source of Truth

While I was not the most disciplined Bible reader in those days when I was a boy working on becoming a man, it was during those years that I started a more regular reading pattern.   I had two Bibles, one was the King James Version and the other one a New Testament put together by J.B. Phillips.  Oddly enough, I still have both of these rather somewhat used books packed away.  What I find interesting in these days about my memories of those days is the way some passages were such standouts that the reading of them back then in remembered even now.

 

What I later learned to call the Paraclete sections of the gospel of John are remembered in such a way.  A couple of those standout verses are John 14:26 which says, "But, the Advocate, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, will teach you everything..." and John 16:13 which sounds a similar note as it reads, "When the Spirit of truth comes. He will guide you into all truth..."  It was tempting back then to jump to the conclusion that this made book learning unnecessary, but obviously that was a road not taken.  More recently it has caused some reflection that would not have occurred to me back then.

First, what we know and believe is that the promise of Jesus is true.  The Holy Spirit does abide and dwell in us.  And secondly, the Holy Spirit can be trusted to do exactly what Jesus promised He would do.  He is a dependable source of truth.  Certainly, what this means for us is that while we may learn many facts from our book learning, we can depend on Who is within us to guide us into truth about ourselves, God, and the way He seeks to be present in our lives.  Of course, we are often afraid to look inward for truth and we are even more frightened to trust others to find their truth in the same place.  We would like for there to be more conformity in our truth finding, but  as long as the truth we find within is affirmed by the life and teachings of Jesus, we are surely on a path that leads us toward God.