Have you ever had a close friend, someone you could talk to about anything? Someone you felt completely comfortable with, sharing your joys, your fears, and your deepest thoughts? That kind of intimate connection is a little taste of what it means to have “divine communion” with the Holy Spirit.
Our key verses speak to this relationship. Psalm 51:11, a prayer of repentance, pleads, “Do not cast me from your presence or take your Holy Spirit from me.” Ephesians 4:30, on the other hand, warns us about how we can damage this relationship: “And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, with whom you were sealed for the day of redemption.”
These verses highlight that the Holy Spirit isn’t just a force or a power; He’s a person, and we can have a close, personal relationship with Him. It’s a relationship that we need to cherish and protect. Let’s explore this idea of “divine communion.”
Psalm 51:11 expresses a deep longing for the Holy Spirit’s presence. Imagine the feeling of being completely alone, cut off from everyone you love. That’s the feeling the psalmist is describing, a fear of being separated from God’s Spirit. The Holy Spirit is the one who makes God’s presence real in our lives. He’s not far away or distant; He lives within us. He’s the one who connects us to God, who makes us aware of His love, His guidance, and His comfort.
Ephesians 4:30 warns us not to “grieve the Holy Spirit.” To grieve someone means to cause them pain or sorrow. How can we grieve the Holy Spirit? We grieve Him when we ignore Him, when we disobey God, when we choose our own way instead of His. Think about how you feel when a friend ignores your advice or goes against your wishes. You feel hurt, disappointed. In the same way, the Holy Spirit, who loves us and wants the best for us, is grieved when we disregard His leading.
Divine communion is about maintaining that close, intimate relationship with the Holy Spirit. It’s about being sensitive to His presence, listening to His voice, and responding to His promptings. It’s a two-way relationship, a constant communication between us and Him.
How do we maintain this intimacy?
- Reverence: We approach the Holy Spirit with reverence, recognizing His holiness and His power. We don’t treat Him casually or take His presence for granted.
- Worship: We express our love and gratitude to the Holy Spirit through worship. We acknowledge His worth, we celebrate His presence, and we thank Him for His work in our lives.
- Sensitivity: We cultivate spiritual sensitivity, learning to recognize His voice and His leading. We pay attention to the “still, small voice” within, trusting that He is guiding us.
Ephesians 4:30 also reminds us that we “were sealed” with the Holy Spirit. This is a powerful image. A seal is a mark of ownership, a guarantee. It means that the Holy Spirit is God’s guarantee that we belong to Him and that He will never leave us. This sealing is for “the day of redemption,” meaning that the Holy Spirit’s presence in our lives is a pledge of our future hope. He is with us now, and He will be with us forever.
Divine communion is not a passive thing; it’s an active relationship. It’s about “walking in the Spirit” (Galatians 5:16), making a conscious choice to follow His leading in every area of our lives. It’s about living in constant awareness of His presence and relying on His power. As we cultivate this intimacy with the Holy Spirit, we experience the fullness of what God has for us. We find peace, joy, and a deep sense of connection with God. We discover the abundant life that Jesus promised.