Let’s think about something else we take for granted too often.  In this case, it is not a thing but a person.  We too often take the Holy Spirit for granted.

A lot of love is shown to the Father and the Son, but the Holy Spirit is often overlooked.  In your prayers, I am sure that you thank the Father for your many blessings all the time.  I am pretty sure that you express your appreciation to and for Jesus when you pray. We are all very thankful for the Father and the Son, our Savior, Jesus Christ.   I think we are all thankful for the Holy Spirit as well, but we just do not express it as often.  Why is that?  Is it possible that we take the Holy Spirit for granted?

Perhaps if we remind ourselves from time to time of all that the Spirit has done and is doing for us, we can avoid taking Him for granted.  The most obvious role of the Holy Spirit, a role that He has actually already completed, is revealing God’s Word to man.

John 16:13 (ESV)
¹³ When the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all the truth, for he will not speak on his own authority, but whatever he hears he will speak, and he will declare to you the things that are to come.

The Spirit came upon the apostles on the day of Pentecost, following the death, burial, resurrection, and ascension of our Lord (Acts 1:8; 2:4), and began guiding them into all truth.  As a result, the mystery of how God would reconcile man back to Himself was revealed.

1 Corinthians 2:10 (ESV)
¹⁰ These things God has revealed to us through the Spirit. For the Spirit searches everything, even the depths of God.

Ephesians 3:3–4 (ESV)
⁴ When you read this, you can perceive my insight into the mystery of Christ, ⁵ which was not made known to the sons of men in other generations as it has now been revealed to his holy apostles and prophets by the Spirit.

The mystery of Christ that Paul refers to is the gospel, which we can now know, obey, and be saved by all because the Spirit has revealed it to us through the teaching of the apostles.  This revelation also serves as our defense against the assaults of the devil and is a part of the armor of God. In Ephesians 6, where Paul is exhorting us to put on the whole armor of God, he calls the Word of God the “sword of the Spirit” (Ephesians 6:17).

Another thing we owe the Spirit thanks for is our sanctification.

1 Peter 1:1–2 (ESV)
¹ Peter, an apostle of Jesus Christ, To those who are elect exiles of the Dispersion in Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, and Bithynia, ² according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, in the sanctification of the Spirit, for obedience to Jesus Christ and for sprinkling with his blood: May grace and peace be multiplied to you.

The Holy Spirit sanctifies us by the Word that He reveals to us (John 17:17).  Without the Spirit, it is impossible to live a holy life.  In this way, we owe our salvation to the Spirit of God.  It is no wonder Paul once said, “Anyone who does not have the Spirit of Christ does not belong to Him” (Romans 8:9).  If you really want to know how important the Spirit is to us, read the whole context of Romans 8 and you see it.

One more thing.  The Spirit helps us with our prayers.

Romans 8:26 (ESV)
²⁶ Likewise the Spirit helps us in our weakness. For we do not know what to pray for as we ought, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words.

What an amazing truth this is, and what a comfort it should give us whenever we pray.  Even if we do not completely understand how the Spirit intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words, we know that He does, and for that we should not only be thankful, but also comforted.

The Spirit does more for us than we sometimes think.  We should appreciate Him just like we do the Father and the Son.  Together they make up the Godhead.  Let’s determine never to take Him for granted.

As you wind down for the night, think about these things.