the know-it-all
"The Paraclete, the Holy Spirit Whom the Father will send in My name, will instruct you in everything, and remind you of all that I told you." —John 14:26
Eternal life is to know God the Father and Jesus (Jn 17:3). Because love requires freedom and freedom requires some knowledge, knowledge is necessary to love. Therefore, we are created both to know and to love God. We can "perish for want of knowledge" (Hos 4:6).
Because knowing is so important for life and love, teaching is extremely important in God's plan. Although God the Father (see Jn 6:44-45) and Jesus teach us, in this post-Pentecost age the Holy Spirit is the Focus of teaching in that He teaches us everything (Jn 14:26) and guides us to all truth (Jn 16:13).
We have victory, freedom, love, and hope because we know what we need to know. We know all we need because the Holy Spirit teaches us and because we are docile, that is, teachable, to His teachings.
If you know millions of things, that means there are still many millions of things you don't know. You don't know the future, your heart, or others' hearts (see Jer 17:10). These are critical things not to know. So we are doomed to be impossibly ignorant. Our only hope is to know the One Who knows all and will teach us all we need to know (Jn 14:26). Our only Hope is the Holy Spirit.
Prayer: Father, break through my pride to make me docile to the Holy Spirit.
Promise: "There was a man who was lame from birth; he used to sit crippled, never having walked in his life. On one occasion he was listening to Paul preaching, and Paul looked directly at him and saw that he had the faith to be saved. He called out to him in a loud voice, 'Stand up! On your feet!' The man jumped up and began to walk around." —Acts 14:8-10
Praise: All through the day Jim prays, "Jesus, I trust in You."
Rescript: †Most Reverend Joseph R. Binzer, Auxiliary Bishop, Vicar General of the Archdiocese of Cincinnati, September 24, 2020
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