Welcome back to The Living, a space created to help you encounter God in your everyday life, be with Him and find life right where you are. Today is Wednesday, March 18th, and this is day 29 of our Lenten journey. During this Lenten season, we are in 40 days practicing Lectio Divina, an ancient way of praying through the scriptures where we read the text, reflect on it, respond to it, and rest in the care of God's presence so that we can go take his presence with us throughout our day. There's no pressure to analyze for information. This is about really connecting deeply with our Savior. We're back in the upper room today. The disciples can feel that something is changing. Jesus has been speaking about leaving them and about preparing a place, about a road they don't yet fully understand. You can imagine uncertainty rising in the room, and it's into this moment that Jesus gives one of the most reassuring promises in the scriptures. He tells them they will not be left alone. Before we dive into today's scripture, I simply want us to take a moment to realize right where we are. You can just say, I am here, and so is God. Let's begin our time with a prayer that Jesus taught us all to pray. The Lord's Prayer. I invite you to take a slow breath in and exhale. And wherever you are today, you can pray this quietly in your heart or out loud. Let's pray. Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name, your kingdom come, your will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Give us today our daily bread. Forgive us our sins as we forgive those who sin against us. Lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. For yours is the kingdom, the power, the glory, both now and forever. Amen. Today's scripture comes from John chapter fourteen, verses fifteen through eighteen. Jesus is preparing his disciples for what comes next. On this first reading, I simply invite you to listen. No pressure to analyze for information. Just give yourself the freedom to sit with today's passage. John fourteen, verses fifteen through eighteen. 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. The world cannot accept him, because it neither sees him nor knows him, but you know him, for he lives with you and will be in you. I will not leave you as orphans. I will come to you. What a beautiful promise. As I read this passage again, I want to encourage you to allow the Holy Spirit to highlight a word or a phrase that stands out. John 14, 15 through 18. If you love me, 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. The world cannot accept him, because it neither sees him nor knows him, but you know him, for he lives with you and will be in you. I will not leave you as orphans. I will come to you. Listen for the invitation. You might ask, where do I feel alone right now? Where do I need to remember that God is near? John 14, 15 through 18. Jesus says, If you love me, keep my commands, and I'll ask the Father, and he will give you another advocate to help you and be with you forever, the Spirit of truth. The world cannot accept him because it neither sees him nor knows him, but you know him, for he lives with you and will be in you. I will not leave you as orphans. I will come to you. Let's respond to what the Lord is telling us today. For this final reading, I simply invite you to rest in the care and presence of the Lord. I will not leave you as orphans. I will come to you. Now rest in the presence of the God who is with us. As I reflect on today's passage, Jesus knew the disciples were about to walk through confusion and loss and heartache, but he wanted them to know something clearly. They would not be abandoned. The Spirit of God would be with them. You know, the Christian life is not about trying to reach a distant God. It's about learning to live with this God who is already near. This God who doesn't abandon. This God who's with us, living in us. What a gift we have in the Holy Spirit. Let's close with a word of prayer. Jesus, thank you for the promise of your presence. When we feel uncertain or alone, remind us that your spirit is with us. Help us live today with a deeper awareness of you. We pray this in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. Amen. Today, may you go in his presence, rest in his love. This is the living. We'll continue tomorrow.