The
Holy Spirit—The Gift Of Gifts
And
being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto
death, even the death of the cross. Phil. 2:8.
In
proportion to Christ’s humiliation and suffering is His exaltation.
He could have become the Saviour, the Redeemer, only by first being the Sacrifice.
What a mystery there is in the godliness of Christ. Having magnified the law
and made it honorable by accepting its conditions in saving a world from ruin,
Christ hastened to heaven to perfect His work, and to accomplish His mission
by sending the Holy Spirit to His disciples. Thus He would assure His believing
ones that He had not forgotten them, though now in the presence of God, where
there is fullness of joy forevermore.
The Holy Spirit was to descend on those in this world who loved Christ. By
this they would be qualified, in and through the glorification of their Head,
to receive every endowment necessary for the fulfilling of their mission.
The Life-giver held in His hands, not only the keys of death, but a whole
heaven of rich blessings. All power in heaven and earth was given to Him,
and having taken His place in the heavenly courts, He could dispense these
blessings to all who receive Him.
Christ has said to His disciples, “It is expedient for you that I go
away: for if I go not away, the Comforter will not come unto you; but if I
depart, I will send him unto you” (John 16:7). This was the gift of
gifts. The Holy Spirit was sent as the most priceless treasure man could receive.
The church was baptized with the Spirit’s power. The disciples were
fitted to go forth and proclaim Christ, first in Jerusalem, where the shameful
work of dishonoring the rightful King had been done, and then to the uttermost
parts of the earth. . . .
How full and free are the blessings to be bestowed on all who come to God
in the name of His Son. If they will observe the conditions laid down in His
Word, He will open to them the windows of heaven, and pour them down a blessing
that there will not be room enough to receive it. . . . If God’s people
will sanctify themselves by obedience to His precepts, the Lord will work
in their midst. He will renew humble, contrite souls, making their characters
pure and holy.
From
Devotional: Our Father Cares, p. 249.
