Comfort Provided
“And there came one that had escaped, and told Abram the Hebrew; for he dwelt in the plain of Mamre the Amorite, brother of Eshcol, and brother of Aner: and these were confederate with Abram.” Genesis 14:13 NKJV
Pretty inspiring verse right? All right, there is not a lot there until you consider that this is the first time the word “Hebrew” is used in the Bible. Abram has learned that his nephew Lot has been taken captive. Abram is about to mount a daring rescue of Lot. The Bible here uses the word Hebrew for the first time to identify someone and the identification is upon Abram, he is the Hebrew. Hebrew means in part “side”. This is indicating that Abram is on the side of God and that God, in turn, is by the side of Abram. How can Abram lose being on God’s side and thus having God at His side? Of course, he did rescue Lot. Now let me move ahead to John 14:26:
“But the Comforter (Counselor, Helper, Intercessor, Advocate, Strengthener, Standby), the Holy Spirit, Whom the Father will send in My name [in My place, to represent Me and act on My behalf], He will teach you all things. And He will cause you to recall (will remind you of, bring to your remembrance) everything I have told you.” John 14:26 Amplified Bible
Here Jesus is describing the Holy Spirit to the disciples. When He calls the Holy Spirit the comforter, there are a lot of words there to define how the Holy Spirit fulfills that role in our life. Look at the last descriptive word in the first phrase of the verse describing the Holy Spirit. He is your “standby”. How excellent is that? Even when you cannot see Him, the Holy Spirit that dwells in you is there for you, like one standing by you at all times and in all things. He stands by you in your work, your health, when others come against you, in all ways of this present life He is standing by you. And that is a picture or image of what He does for you, He is standing for you at all times, but He is actually standing by and for you as He is abiding in you.
Abram had God stand by Him in all things. Now, the Lord stands for you and with you through all things by actually dwelling in you. Abram was the Hebrew because Abram was on God’s side and so God stood by His side against the things of this world. We are no longer the Hebrew because God does not just stand by us, but actually within us.
He stands by you in everything you face today to see that you overcome in Him. He is in you and never for a moment leaves you alone or fails to see what you see and feel. He is with you and in you bringing you to your deliverance. Have peace in that closeness of the Lord standing by you in the person of the Holy Spirit.
J Todd Hostetler