Manna and Coffee

“Which of you fathers, if your son asks for a fish, will give him a snake instead?  Or if he asks for an egg will give him a scorpion?  If you then, though you are evil know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in Heaven give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him!” Luke 11:11-13, NIV

What would your kids say if you served them a snake and egg omelet for breakfast this morning?  I’ve never had the opportunity to taste snake before, but I hear that it tastes a lot like chicken.  Chik-fil-A is more for me, and I bet that is how most of you guys roll too.   On the other hand, if you put enough hot sauce on anything it usually tastes good….

As I was pondering this silly thought, my mind was taken to the Words of Jesus.  Jesus was teaching His disciples to pray (Luke 11).  Jesus taught His disciples the “Our Father Prayer” which most of us have prayed at church or at home.  Jesus then told His disciples to “Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you.  For everyone who asks receives; he who seeks finds, and to him who knocks, the door will be opened.” (Luke 11:9-10, NIV)

This verse reminds me of one of my first middle school dances.  I came home from the dance and cried on my bed as my mother comforted me.  “Why are you crying honey?” my mother had asked me.  “Nobody danced with me,” I replied.  My mother in her infinite wisdom then asked me the obvious question which I still remember, “Did you ask anyone to dance?”  When I replied “No” through snot and tears, my mom just hugged me and explained to me that you have to ask for things in life.  You can’t just wait for life to ask you.

I think that my mom’s comments are a lot like what Jesus is telling us in the Gospel of Luke.  How many of us just wait around wishing that God would ask us to do something meaningful for Him?  If we open our eyes we will see that God is moving all around us.  He is patiently waiting for us to ask for the Holy Spirit so that we can see Him and then join Him in His work.   Jesus told us that our Father in Heaven is pleased to give the Holy Spirit to anyone who accepts Jesus and simply asks.  Have you asked to be filled with the Holy Spirit today?  He is waiting to dance.