Oh Holy Spirit, Write the Things of God Upon Our Hearts

Our heavenly Father will give the Holy Spirit to those who ask Him. Luke 11:10-13

Though the third person of the trinity takes up residence within all true children of God through the work of regeneration, we may not always be consciously aware of the particular work of grace He is doing in us or through us at a given moment in time; but, because of the finished work of Christ on Calvary, we can be assured by the words Jesus spoke to the disciples while he was on earth that the Person of the Holy Spirit will continue the work of conforming us more and more into Christ-likeness both as individual believers and as one body knit together in love until He takes us to heaven or Christ returns to earth in power to be glorified in his saints and to be marveled at among all who have believed the testimony of God spoken through the Word of God.

When Jesus was praying in a certain place, when he finished, one of the disciples said to him, "Lord teach us to pray, as John taught his disciples to pray"(Luke 11:1). In response to that request Jesus gave instructions according to the model of which we are to address our Father in heaven. But he didn't stop there, he continued to teach the need for importunity, the promise of receiving for our importunity because it is His good pleasure to give, and the constant need of the help of the Holy Spirit along with the assurance of his help for all who ask.

And why should we ask if He is always present with us?

The simple answer would be because He said so. Among other things to consider is that our fallen nature tends to be short sighted and lifted up in pride so that we do not always see our particular need at a given moment in time. We may grow complacent or comfortable with our present estate in sanctification so that we become self-centered and not Christ centered or gospel centered as we view the world around us which is at enmity with Christ and will not hear Him apart from the work of the Spirit. We have absolutely nothing of ourselves to offer this lost and dying world, but are dependent upon God our Father to give exactly that which is needed, which is the bread of life by the power of the Holy Spirit to bring forth fruit unto eternal life for the glory and honor of Christ. And thus for His glory I write:

Oh Holy Spirit, write the things
Of God upon our hearts,
Let more the visage You have sealed
Transform our hidden parts.

For You're the One Who takes the things
Of Christ and makes them real.
To glorify His Precious Name
More than our minds can feel.

Oh, by the preaching of God's Word
You pierce through all distractions
That more like Jesus we shall be
In all our thoughts and actions.

For You know all the darkness
That remains in us within
And by the Word of grace transcend
The thoughts of all of men.

For You are far more intimate
Than any earthly friend
And hear the voice of Christ
Who intercedes until the end.

That God alone be glorified
In all His saints above
When Jesus comes, He will by wrath
Show forth His mighty love.

Consuming all with flaming fire
Of whom He has not known,
And marveled at by all His saints
In whom His glory's shown.

Oh Father thank You for The Promise
That You so freely give
To all who ask through Jesus Christ
And for His glory live.

Michael E. Wood
July 16, 2010