Pastor Mark Hopper

By Mark Hopper

We have two citrus trees outside our kitchen window.  When the weather is nice, we like to open the window in the morning and leave it open in the evening until we go to bed.

A few months ago, we began to notice that in the evening, just before it got dark, we would hear a bird in the tree outside the window.  He would chirp and whistle and sing as it got dark.  It was like he was saying good night before he went to sleep.

We continue to hear this same chirping and singing every night.  The unseen bird must consider our tree his home.  We actually enjoy hearing the bird each night.  We are glad that he is safe and survived another day.

Since we get up at different times in the morning, I don’t remember hearing our feathered friend.  However, about a week ago I heard the same singing just as day light was returning. I think the bird was saying “good morning” to our family just as he had been saying good night in the evening.

I suspect that the bird is also saying good morning and good night to his feathered friends in our neighborhood, too. This must be one way that the birds check in at the beginning and end of each day.

What is interesting is that I don’t think we have ever actually seen the bird who greets us each morning and each night.  He or she is an unseen friend.  We know he is there, but we have never seen him.

There are several passages in the Bible that talk about an unseen friend.  He is called the comforter, the counselor and the helper – the Holy Spirit.  In John 14:16, Jesus said, ” I will ask the Father and he will give you another Helper, to be with you forever, even the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive because it neither sees him or knows him…He will be with you and dwell in you”.

Jesus said that the Holy Spirit would be an unseen friend, who would help and strengthen those who follow Him.  Jesus promised to never leave us alone, but to provide the Holy Spirit to be our companion, comforter and helper.

The Holy Spirit is just like our unseen friend in the tree outside our kitchen window.  Even though we don’t see him, we know that he is there.  We may not hear his voice, but we are confident that we are not alone.

Let me encourage you to dust off your Bible and do some reading in the Gospel of John, especially chapters 13-16.  You can discover some encouraging lessons about the ministry of the Holy Spirit in your life.

Make time to visit a church near you that teaches the Bible and learn more about how God provides a helper and comforter to those who put their faith in Christ.  You can find comfort and hope knowing that you have an unseen friend!

Pastor Mark Hopper is from the Evangelical Free Church of Diamond Bar, 3255 South Diamond Bar Ave. Sunday services are 9 a.m. and 10:45 a.m. For more information, call (909) 594-7604 or visit http://www.efreedb.org.