Romans 8.

I've been learning a lot about the Holy Spirit lately. Mostly because I've been teaching my Sunday School class about "It".

And one of the things I've learned is that the Holy Spirit is SO not an It. The Holy Spirit is alive, and is probably sick of being shafted so much. I mean, people put a lot of emphasis on God creating and loving and sending, and they put a lot of emphasis on Jesus coming and dying and living. But the Holy Spirit? Kind of the gets the short end of the deal.

I know that I never thought about the Holy Spirit much until this summer.

But really? God would not be God without the Holy Spirit, and Jesus would not be Jesus without the Holy Spirit, and I would not be myself without the Holy Spirit.

I taught my class that the Holy Spirit is the Spirit of TRUTH - No lies stem forth from him. I taught them that He lives in us (FOREVER!!!) and in heaven, and that He is our counselor, here to guide us in life, to empower us to be witnesses, and tomorrow we are talking about how He gives New Life.

And this whole new life thing?
Why don't we live in it more?

Personally, I get so caught up in the laws of this world...making sure I wear the right thing, that I look nice, that this is perfect and that is perfect and I said hi to this person, and that person saw me talking to so-and-so... I spend so much time thinking and worrying about such things when the Holy Spirit is right there, being my Counselor, and whispering the truth to me that I AM SET FREE FROM THE LAW. Not only that, but it is confirmed through the Spirit that I am God's DAUGHTER. I get to call Him Daddy.

We just celebrated Fathers Day. And my Dad here is great. He took us fishing today, and we had quite the adventure (and caught no fish, but my mom fell in the river and made funny noises). When I had my mini-medical emergency on Wednesday, my Dad wanted to be there with me, and when I have my check-up on Monday, he wants to go, just so he can sit in the waiting room. I love him. He's the best Dad I could ask for. But really, he's not...

God is.

God, through His rich love and mercy, gave His Son to save me, and He gave His Spirit to guide me. It's great that God made me, but I have no hope of grace without His Son, and no hope of a future without His Spirit.

Thus.

The Holy Spirit is alive and active, calling people into a life that is categorized by one word:

FREEDOM.

I want to live in it.