Have you thought about the Holy Spirit? God’s Holy Spirit?

Francesca Battistelli’s song “Holy Spirit” greeted my mind this morning as I awoke. Maybe because I’ve been practicing the harmony for it for Sunday’s worship.

It caused me to think about the words more carefully, probably far more than I ever had.

“Holy Spirit, you are welcome here. Come flood this place and fill the atmosphere. Your glory, God, is what our hearts long for. To be overcome by Your presence, Lord.”

Friends, is He really welcome? Do we only ask for Him to be present when we remember or when we pray in church? Is He just for the ‘feel good’ moments of worship?

I have noticed that we ask the Holy Spirit to join us at certain moments, mostly in prayer, but forget to start and end our days welcoming Him into our lives.

“The Holy Spirit (or Holy Ghost, from Old English gast, “spirit”) is the third divine person of The Trinity: The “Triune God” manifested as Father, Son, and Holy Spirit; each aspect itself being God.” – Millard J. Erickson, Christian Theology

God’s Holy Spirit is an extension of God. While we cannot see Him, Jesus told His disciples just who the Holy Spirit was and is at the Last Supper in John 14:26. “But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, He will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all that I said to you.”

The Holy Spirit is so much more than just God’s Helper. The Holy Spirit is God’s power in action, His live and active force (Micah 3:8). He is God’s breath (Habakkuk 2:19); the wind (Genesis 8:1; John 3:8); God’s hands and fingers (Luke 11:20; Matthew 12:28).

I could write on the many characteristics of God’s Holy Spirit and never really scratch the surface. He is so much more than our words could express.

My point in all of this is to bring our minds to this realization: we tend to invite the omnipresent Holy Spirit to join us at times most opportune for us, mostly in church worship.  We forget that we have the privilege of His presence every. moment. of. our. lives.

We can invite Him into our everyday lives, moment to moment. Ask Him to be in all things we say and do, in every aspect of our existence.

Know that in our asking, it isn’t “one and done”. The Holy Spirit is like a gentleman, He won’t go where He isn’t welcomed. We must ask and invite him daily.

Welcome the Holy Spirit like your oldest and dearest friend, because He is just that. Ask Him to inhabit your life, your prayers, your praise, your worship, your home, your church, your community – each day. Ask Him to dwell among you, to come upon others and to ignite your heart with His holy fire. And, thank Him for His presence in your life.

We may not always “feel” the Holy Spirit’s presence like we wish, but we can be assured that we have been given a Helper, Comforter, Counselor, Advocate, Guide, Teacher, Witness, and Spirit of Truth.

Welcome to this day and into our hearts, Holy Spirit. Please align our hearts with God’s Word, convict us of our mistakes, and guide us to make holy choices for His kingdom. In Jesus’ name we pray, Amen.