WAH 20260510

Prayers and Lord’s Prayer:

Let us pray. I come into this space, O God, I bring myself, just as I am, bringing all my baggage, all my grief, all my pain. I bring my worries, my doubts, my fears, my regrets, The fear that I am not enough, not doing enough, not fulfilling my potential. As I come into this space, O God, Help me to remember that I am lovingly made in your image, and that I am loved, Loved unconditionally, Loved more than I can imagine, Set free by your grace, O God. As I come into this space, O God Help me to look outward. I am sorry for all the times I get things wrong, sometimes saying or doing the wrong thing, sometimes not saying or doing things that could help someone else, too often not saying or doing the things that would help me. Help me lay my baggage down. I bring these prayers before you with gratitude and love for you, the world, and myself. Amen.

The Lord’s Prayer:

Our Father, …..

Reading: John 14:15-21

Reflections on the reading:

Keep my commands. And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another advocate to help you and be with you forever - the Spirit of truth.” At first, those words can sound heavy, like a condition, or a test. But in the context of this passage, they are less about rule-keeping and more about relationship. Jesus is speaking to his disciples at a moment when he knows he will soon leave them. What he offers is not pressure, but reassurance: love will not end here. He promises them something extraordinary: “I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Advocate, to be with you forever.” The word “Advocate” (sometimes translated as Comforter or Helper) points to the presence of the Spirit, God not just above us or beside us, but within us. A presence that guides, challenges, comforts, and strengthens. Jesus is preparing them (and us) for a different way of knowing God. Not through physical proximity, but through deep, ongoing connection. And then he says: “I will not leave you orphaned.” These words matter. Because so often in life we can feel alone (perhaps you can also feel alone in your journey of faith?). We can feel uncertain, disconnected, unsure of what to do or where to turn. But Jesus insists that this is not the final reality. We are not abandoned. We are not left to figure it all out by ourselves. This passage comforts us with the promise that God’s presence is not limited to certain places, traditions, or moments. The Spirit moves freely, within us, among us, and beyond us, often in ways we don’t expect. But it also challenges us. Because if the Spirit truly dwells within us, then our lives become the place where God’s love is made visible. The “commandments” Jesus speaks of are not about rigid control, they are about living love out loud. Compassion. Justice. Truth. Courage. To love Jesus is to walk his way. So today, reflect on this: - Where do you need to be reminded that you are not alone? - How might the Spirit already be at work within you, guiding you toward deeper love or truth? - What does it look like, in your life right now, to “keep” the commandment of love? Jesus does not leave his followers with certainty or control. He leaves them with something better: presence. A presence that cannot be locked out. A presence that does not fade. A presence that calls us, again and again, into love. May you know that you are never alone, and may the Spirit within you lead you into a life that reflects that truth.

Hymn: H&P no. 571

Sometimes a light surprises the Christian while he sings

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