September 9

The Saviour continues: "If a son shall ask bread of any of you that is a father, will he give him a stone? or if he ask a fish, will he for a fish give him a serpent? or if he shall ask an egg, will he offer him a scorpion? If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children, how much more shall your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to them that ask Him?"

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The holiday Ludy and I had was short and full of incident. Our car broke down the moment we arrived at our destination. The benefit was that we had a whole day, the next day, doing nothing. Well, nothing included my teaching Ludy how to swim. In the evening we walked just around the corner from our lodge to meet a wild fox enjoying an evening stroll.

None of that really fits in with our reading for today – which speaks about the gifts that God gives. We’ll go back to that main gift that we have been asking for, the gift of the Holy Spirit.

Our reading describes a key feature about God – His generosity. We are normal people, when we are with our family we really want to do good things for them. When our car broke down we discovered that neither my wife nor I had car breakdown cover. I wanted to buy breakdown cover for my wife and I – it wasn’t something I had to think about.

Note the few words in the reading, “how much more ..” We like to give .. but there is something about God which means that he is even more willing to give.

One thing that comes to mind is, “I have to play my part.” In this case we don’t. God simply wants to give. As I ask for the Holy Spirit God gives. This is simply an exercise of faith on our part. I shouldn’t be taking my pre-conceived ideas about what should happen when I receive the Holy Spirit and when those things don’t happen thinking that I have failed or that God has not given.

God has given despite what our own measures may say.

So today, ask again and receive again. Then affirm that as you pray with your partner.

Peter