«And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you forever» (John 14:16, KJV).
OCEANOGRAPHIC MAGAZINE granted an award for the photograph of two penguins hugging while looking over the city lights of Melbourne, Australia. Some might suppose it’s a simple, ordinary image, but what makes it commendable is the story behind it.
The image captured by Tobias Baumgaertner shows two penguins; the male is young, and the female is old. The female has lost her partner, and the male has lost his. Baumgaertner says that «since then they meet regularly, comforting each other and standing together for hours watching the dancing lights of the nearby city.» Two lonely aquatic birds hugging to comfort each other!
How many of us want a simple hug? How many of us are longing for a word of comfort? Ever since the entrance of sin, loneliness and grief have become an intrin sic part of what it means to live in a planet that has rebelled against its Creator. We are like those two lonely penguins, except we don’t always find someone to generously and kindly stand beside us.
Knowing that our life would be full of those moments of loneliness, without comfort, God decided to give us a Comforter. Let’s read John 14:16: «And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you for ever» (KJV). And since He is always at our side, we are never alone.
The Greek word paraclete, translated here as «Comforter,» refers to someone who stands beside someone else to comfort them; the one who speaks when we have run out of words. The paraclete is the one who helps us when we fall into the abyss, the one who encourages us when our hearts give up. And Jesus promises the Father will give us that Comforter, the Holy Spirit.
All of Deity goes into action when comforting a downcast soul; our tears activate the Three Great Powers of heaven. Jesus asks; the Father gives; and the Spirit comes and remains with us. One of my favorite books reminds us of this with the following words: «We are never alone. Whether we choose Him or not, we have a companion.»
The heavenly photographer shows the whole universe tender images in which we are shown being hugged by the Comforter.
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Taken from: Devotional Readings for Adults 2023
“I AM WITH YOU”
From: J. VLADIMIR POLANCO
Collaborators: Lorina Maya & Angelica Cuate
