Daily Devotion 14th August

Scripturally, reference to ‘the promised Holy Spirit’ takes us back to the final night of Jesus’ earthly life when he comforted the disciples by promising the Holy Spirit would come to them following his departure (John 14:16-17; 16:12).  We are reassured by the knowledge that having responded positively to the good news, the presence of the Spirit in our lives is the sign of God’s possession of us, the ‘seal.’
               
Materially, the language of ‘seal’, ‘pledge’, ‘inheritance’ and ‘redemption’ provides us with a vivid image from the financial world of the process of salvation.  Faith in Christ leads to the Holy Spirit’s presence in our lives, the ‘pledge’ or down payment of our eternal inheritance. The sense of ‘now but not yet’ is clear: redemption, when God takes full possession, lies in the future.
               
The challenge concerns our response.  The initial choice, in verse 13, is whether we respond to the ‘word of truth’ in faith.  The ongoing choice is whether we will keep on responding positively and continue to walk in step with the Holy Spirit.