As a mother knows the weaknesses and needs of her children, even so the Spirit knows our weaknesses and needs. He 'helps us in our weakness' (Romans 8:26) and provides for our needs. Just as a mother knows the father's will for his children, because she knows his heart, even so the Spirit knows the Father's will for his children, because He knows his heart. Though the Holy Spirit is masculine in gender, he is feminine in his temperament (nature)! Infact, the concept of masculinity and feminity comes from the Godhead itself. God is total in himself that both the male and female temperaments are seen in him because God is one. When God created Adam in his image, he had both temperaments in him until God saw that it was not good for man to be alone and therefore created Eve by taking a part of him, thereby separating the two temperaments! This essential difference between the two is the suitability for a man and a woman to come together to form a family. There are things a father does with ease which a mother cannot do and there are things a mother does with ease that a father cannot do! Typically, feeding the children and nurturing them comes so naturally to a mother but fathers are found to be too short-tempered for the task! Likewise, God the Father finds certain tasks ideal for the Holy Spirit to do because of his unique temperament. "Go up to the land flowing with milk and honey. But I will not go with you, because you are a stiff-necked people and I might destroy you on the way... Moses said to the Lord, "... you have not let me know whom you will send with me." ... The Lord replied, "My Presence will go with you..." Then Moses said to him, "If your Presence does not go with us, do not send us up from here " (Exodus 33:3, 12-15) Had it not been for the Holy Spirit standing in the way, as mothers usually do when our fathers are furious, we would have been consumed by his anger because 'God is a consuming fire'! (Hebrews 12:29) Only a mother can put up with the tantrums of her children and we know how terrible a two year old can be! A new born believer is so endearing but not the one who is just an 'infant in Christ' (1 Corinthians 3:1, Hebrews 5:13), who whines and wails for everything! The Israelites wailed in the desert as they craved for the delicacies of Egypt! (Numbers 11:4-34) Just as a father's anger breaks out against the children when he sees the mother being annoyed by them, even so the Father is concerned for his Spirit. So he warns believers, "Do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, with whom you have been sealed for the day of redemption." Just as a mother is grieved when she sees her children fighting, even so the Holy Spirit is grieved when he sees believers fighting! The other two persons of the Godhead are protective of the Holy Spirit. Both the Father and the Son wouldn't tolerate any blasphemy against the Holy Spirit because they know he is so tender and can be hurt so easily! "And so I tell you, every sin and blasphemy will be forgiven men, but the blasphemy against the Spirit will not be forgiven ... either in this age or in the age to come" ( Matthew 12:30-32); they are guilty of an "eternal sin." (Mark 3:29) It is said of the Israelites that 'in all their distress he (the Spirit) too was distressed and the Angel of his Presence saved them. In love and mercy he redeemed them; he lifted them up and carried them all the days of old. Yet they rebelled and grieved his Holy Spirit. So he turned and became their enemy and he himself fought against them.' (Isaiah 63:9-10) How ironic! May that never happen to us! Let the motherly tenderness of the Holy Spirit comfort us and nurture us as we grow out of infancy into maturity in Christ. Amen.
Sam Matthews. K
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