The Help of God Himself.

Waiapu Church Gazette, Volume 35, Issue 4, 1 June 1944, Page 2

The Help of God Himself .

Mere knowledge of the facts of pur Lord's life will never make uss Christians, not even if we go further and accept Him as" our idea, and try to copy His example. Only too soon should we then become like the crippled boy gazing at the statue of Apollo, and give up in despair. Even to make our first halting foot-, steps in the "trail ff our Master we need the help of God Himself. It is God the Holy Spirit who comes to dwell in our hearts and give up this help. "Know ye not that ye are the temple of God, and that the -Spirit of God dwelleth in you." How amazing that God should come, in this intimate personal way to each one of us. He comes to us in our baptism and confirmation— "Give Thy Holy Spirit to his infant, that he may be born again," "Strengthen them, we beseech Thee, O Lord, with the Holy Ghost the Comforter." And it is Whitsunday that should remind us anew of this. W|e speak of the Holy Spirit as the Comforter. The middle syllable, "fort," will tell us what this really means, namely that the Holy Spirit comes to strengthen us, and to. enable us to follow Christ. The Greek form of the word is paraclete, which really means one who comes and stands by our side to encourage us in a struggle. It was not only the early disciples who experienced the new power in their souls brought to them by the Holy Spirit, the Comf drter. All down the ages countless men and women have been given the power to be Christ's witnesses by the saine Holy Spirit. He can do the same- for us too. v We know; that antxious days lie ahead, and it will be no easy task tQ be witnesses for. Him in this time of war, or the days of reconstruction that will .follow it. Bui we do not despair. We know that Christmas the festival of God with us, and Whitsunday is the festival of God in us. And if God be with us, and in us, who can stand against us? — L.0,'5.8.