Welcome to today's encouragement from Our Daily Bread.

The devotional for today titled The Holy Spirit is Present, was written by Marvin Williams.

Making his pre-flight checks for a flight from Charlotte, North Carolina to New York City,

a flight attendant noticed a passenger visibly anxious and concerned about flying.

He sat in the aisle, held her hand, explained each step of the flight process, and reassured her that she was going to be

fine. When you get on an aircraft, it's not about us. It's about you, he said. And if you're not feeling

good, I want to be there to say, hey, what's wrong? Is there something I can do? His caring presence can be a picture of what

Jesus said the Holy Spirit would do for believers in Him. Christ's death and resurrection and

ascension were necessary and beneficial to save people from their sins, but it would also create emotional turbulence

and deep sorrow in the disciples' hearts. So, he reassured them that they wouldn't be left alone

to carry out his mission in the world. He would send the Holy Spirit to be with them,

an advocate to help them and be with them

forever. The Spirit would bear witness about Jesus and remind them of all Christ did and said.

They would be encouraged by him during difficult times.

In this life, everyone, including believers in Christ,

will experience the turbulence of anxiety, fear, and grief.

But he has promised that in his absence,

the Holy Spirit is present to comfort us.

Today's Our Daily Bread devotional scripture reading is from the Gospel of John,

chapter 14, verse 16, and verses 23 through 27.

Jesus said, I will ask the Father, and he will give you another advocate to help you and be with you forever.

Now picking up at verse 23, anyone who loves me will obey my teaching.

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