(Jesus said) "What father among you, if his son asks for a fish, will instead of a fish give him a serpent; or if he asks for an egg, will give him a scorpion? If you then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will the Heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask Him!" Luke 11:11-13

According to the passage above, a father is supposed to give good gifts to his children.

I hope in the case of a two-year-old Phoenix boy, his father will do a better job at gift-giving than has his mother.

Let me explain: last month, on a Tuesday night, police were called to a pizza parlor. It seems that some of the patrons had watched while a young mother opened her son's tippy cup and poured in some beer -- beer which the child drank.

When the police arrived, they examined the tippy cup. The article I read said they discovered the liquid "was consistent with beer."

The officers arrested the mother and asked her, "Why?" She gave a simple, direct and sad answer. She said she did it because "the child kept reaching for the beer pitcher." It seemed a cut-and-dried case of a parent not knowing how to give good gifts to her child.

In contrast to what this mother did, in contrast to the many mistakes all parents make, we have the example of our Father in heaven. His love is beyond question, His commitment above reproach, and He never makes a mistake.

So that we might be saved, He sent His Son to live for us, suffer for us, and die for us. Today He sends us the Holy Spirit who leads us to faith and teaches us that in the Person and sacrifice of Jesus we have the best gift we will ever receive.

Forgiven by the Christ we have eternal life in the mansions of heaven when we pass away, and right now we are blessed to have the security and peace of the Savior.

Truly, He is God's good news of great joy; Jesus is God's great gift of grace.

THE PRAYER: Dear Lord, be with parents as they raise their children. Help them avoid mistakes and missteps. Grant them wisdom to say that which is right, do that which is correct, and point their children unerringly, unfailingly to the Christ -- God's Son, our Savior. In Jesus' Name. Amen.

In Christ I remain His servant and yours,

Today's Bible Readings: Psalms 67, 71    Philippians 2

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