Lord, grant us grace to always remember your promise

When I was younger, I used to believe in a “do-it-yourself” Christianity -- the power I needed, I already had.  All I needed was to look deeper and longer within myself and there was nothing I couldn’t do.

For many years I’ve lived my life believing “God helps those who help themselves,” or “God started it, now I must finish it,” or “God has done His part, I have to do mine” (sort of a “fifty-fifty proposition”).  God will “work for me” as long as I work. My faith is strong as long as I’m strong. My position is secure as long as I’m secure. My life is good as long as I’m good.

But there was my problem. As the Bible says, “No one is good.” (see Matt 19:17)  No one is always strong; no one is always secure.

At some point on life’s journey, I realized I needed more. I realized a “fifty-fifty proposition” is too little. I needed more than to “try a little bit harder.”  I need help from outside of me. I needed the kind of help that Jesus promised: “I will ask the Father, and He will give you another Helper to be with you forever -- the Spirit of truth. The world cannot accept Him because it does not see Him or know Him. But you know Him because He lives in you.” (John 14: 16-17)

What a wonderful promise from our Father.  God is not only near us, God is not only above us, God is not only around us -- He lives within each of us. God dwells in our heart. In the hidden recess of our being dwells not an angel, not a genie, not a philosophy, but God! Could you imagine that?

Think about it ... it was not enough for God to appear in a bush. It was not enough for God to dwell in a temple. It was not enough for God to become flesh and walk on Earth with us. It was not enough for God to leave with us His Word and a promise that He would return at the end of time. God goes further -- and takes up residence within each of us.
 

“Do you know,” Paul writes, “that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit?” (see 1 Cor. 6:19)

Perhaps you didn’t.  Perhaps you didn’t think God would go that far to bring you home.  If you didn’t, think again.