Father of the Poor

Come Holy Spirit, Father of the Poor.....

So many times I have said this prayer silently to myself since Caleb died. The Holy Spirit goes by many names: comforter, counselor, advocate, teacher, and on and on. But the one I love the most is Father of the Poor. Those who have lost children are some of the most spiritually poor amongst us. I felt that way- yes, I had a house and food on the table, but inside I felt very,very poor. And the poverty of being a bereaved parent extends into everything you do. There is no situation that I enter into that is untouched by my experience of losing my son. And over two years later-so many things still hurt. So many conversations are still hard, words are said that sting, and my heart is still breaking.

In those times I lean on the Holy Spirit, Father of the Poor, to guide me and do what it says-Father me. After Caleb died I felt abandoned by God the Father and duped by Jesus(you know-like when Jeremiah had his interior crisis-Jeremiah 20:7 "You duped me O Lord and I let myself be duped.") But the Holy Spirit? It was like this new person of the trinity that I had yet to discover. I can honestly say that while my relationship with God the Father and Jesus did take a hit (and I'm still working on those relationships), my relationship with the Spirit grew stronger. I didn't have the "baggage" so to speak with the Spirit that I did with God the Father and Jesus. This all might sound like I've lost my mind, but truly the trinity is real and my relationships with the three persons of the trinity are very different.

The point I want to make this week, coming off of Pentecost, is that the Holy Spirit is real and very alive. He will take you in, the poorest of the poor, and comfort you. I know it because He has done so time and again in my own life. So if you are struggling today, pray "Come Holy Spirit, Father of the Poor," and let Him guide you through the heartache.