Luke 11:11: “If a son asks for bread from any father among you, will he give him a stone? Or if he asks for a fish, will he give him a serpent instead of a fish? Or if he asks for an egg, will he offer him a scorpion? If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask Him!”
There are two ways to relate to family. One is to be selfish and see siblings as rivals. What they get, you could have had. So we fight over the toy chest, elbowing to get our way. How childish. This is what Paul described and called partaking unworthily in 1 Cor 11. The other way is to discern the body in love and gratitude. To look around and realize what you are seeing. You are an adopted child of God, not a slave. And you see around you brothers and sisters also adopted and free. They have received grace, just like you. You aren’t the only sinner here. You aren’t the only really bad sinner here. And Jesus receives all of us as we come in faith. He doesn’t give us a stone, because of our sin. No coal in your stocking this year. He gives bread and wine. In this bread and wine, God is sending forth the Spirit of His Son to unite us with Christ and to feed us in the union. Remember and proclaim His death. Enjoy His presence, where there is fullness of joy.
12/13/09
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