Our Savior Ev. Lutheran Church

HAPPY MEMORIAL DAY from Our Savior Lutheran

I know this is kind of a silly looking post, but tell me that you fully understand the Holy Trinity. How can three separate persons be one God and remain separate? Today is Trinity Sunday. The day that we pay special attention to the fact that God is, indeed, 3=1. I was a math major and let me tell you, 3 never equals 1. Not in the logical world. So, how? Man has tried for years to explain it with drawings and charts. They can be true, like the sketch labeled "A circl...e of love is the Trinity". However, it doesn't really explain how 3=1. Does it? The drawing next to it is really a nice depiction and helps some, but they are still just 3 images overlapping each other. Beautiful images, but separate. Still not a clear picture of how they are 1. The list on the lower right hand corner is very helpful and interesting, but it even makes it more clear how they are different. Not 1. Now, the 4th sketch is probably the most familiar and best diagram that we with our logical human minds can come to understand. The Father, Son and Holy Spirit are not each other, but they all are God. The same God. 1 God! However, our logical minds still can't wrap themselves around it. So, the question marks may always be there, but that is more than okay. If God wanted us to know, he would help us understand. The thing is we don't need to understand, we just need to believe it because he "said so". That is part of what makes faith in God so wonderful. We don't have to understand, nor do we have to worry about figuring it out. JUST BELIEVE!

I can't. I don't know how. I am too shy. I'm not qualified. etc. etc. etc. The list is endless. I think we have all uttered these words or some like them. I know that I am speaking from experience, myself. But, we have help. Help to overcome ourselves. We have the Holy Spirit! Because of him, we can, we do know, we can overcome our shyness, and we are qualified, etc. Wait! What? We are qualified?... Perhaps we should look at the disciples on Pentecost. Were they qualified? Could they speak all the languages of the neighboring communities? Were they highly educated? No! No! and No! But, they didn't have to be. They had the Holy Spirit. They could go ahead boldly, because the Spirit had enabled them. The Spirit would see to it that they had everything they needed, starting with the ability to speak in many languages. He will do the same for us. Well, not being able to speak other languages. We still have to spend 2 to 4 years learning that in school, and then, it will only be one for most of us. He will take plain and simple people like you and I and will empower us to recognize and act when an opportunity presents itself. "With him, you are an unstoppable force." There is a little outline at the bottom left hand corner of this post. It states it so simply. "Spiritual truth must be: taught by the Spirit, explained with Spirit-taught words, (and) understood by the Spirit." That is how we can now say: I can, I do know how, I am not too shy, and most of all, I am qualified. Or perhaps, instead of "I", this should read "We". "We" being ourself and the Holy Spirit. With him: We can, we do know how, we are not too shy, and we are qualified.

As I read today's devotion, I was struck by the word "advocate" being applied to the Holy Spirit. I am sure that I have probably heard this reference before, but I had failed to get the message. We hear of Jesus being described as an advocate, but how is the Holy Spirit one as well. Well, the answer is simple. When Christ ascended, a part of his advocation went with him. He know longer had a visible presence amongst his faithful. So, he made them a promise that he woul...d send help. God the Father would send the Holy Spirit in Christ's name. The Holy Spirit "will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I (Jesus) have said to you." (John 14:26) The Holy Spirit was now going to be the go between. He was going to pick up with the disciples' education where Christ had left off. But, that is not the end of the good news. The disciples took what they learned and continued Christ's work of spreading it. As this was done, the message was gradually recieved around the world and the Holy Spirit was able to reach more and more souls. This continues to this day. You and I have or can benefit from the Holy Spirit acting as an advocate. Because we have heard God's Word, the Spirit has been able to work faith in our hearts, too. Like the disciples, we are to share what we have learned. When we do so, we open the door for the Holy Spirit to enter yet another heart. If you are interested, I highly recommend that you take a look at the devotion that inspired this post. It can be found on WELS.net. On the home screen you should find "Wednesday Devotion", which is on a blue background today, May 26th. It goes a bit deeper in how Christ, the advocate, and the Holy Spirit, the advocate, compare. It is a simple and interesting look at just what John 14:26 is saying.