Jesus said, “If you love me, show it by doing what I’ve told you, keep my commandments”. (John 14: 15)

There are trade-offs. We make them all the time. You can choose to wait for the train or drive. The train might be running late, so you could be in the cold for a long time, or it may be uncomfortably crowded. Then again, it is cheaper than driving and often faster with less stress.

If you choose to drive, you may get stuck in traffic, burning petrol and polluting the air. Or if you are lucky, the road is open and you speed to your destination uninterrupted from door to door in no time at all.

Some of the early disciples felt that Jesus’ return after his Ascension into heaven was imminent, so they wanted to wait for him in prayer. Others began to understand it through the Holy Spirit, Christ would come into their hearts and be with them in a special way. God’s love would bind them together. So they went about healing and calling down the Spirit to be with those who had been baptised. Two thousand years later, we still wait for Jesus’ coming. But we have not been left orphans. We see and find Jesus’ loving presence all around us. The trade-off is simple. We choose to believe, and so we live out the commandments. And in return, Jesus Christ lives in us.