Luke 11:13 (English Standard Version)

 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!”

I am reading the verse of the day and it occurs to me that I never asked the Father to send me the Holy Spirit. A gift is not a gift if it has to be earned. I always thought of the Holy Spirit as being a promise from God that comes to those who place their faith in His Son, Jesus Christ.

Then I read it again. He was speaking to those who were evil. God will keep His promise but first we must confess our evil condition.

Repentance comes to a heart that confesses that it is wrong in all that it has done and turns from its evil ways and asks God to take over in choosing right paths.

Evil is such a harsh word but anything this side of perfect holiness is evil and cannot have any part with Him. Saying we are not evil is a matter of pride, the ego that cannot see itself serving others.

Mark 9:35 And he sat down and called the twelve. And he said to them, “If anyone would be first, he must be last of all and servant of all.”

I am not worthy.

2 Thessalonians 1:5 This is evidence of the righteous judgment of God, that you may be considered worthy of the kingdom of God, for which you are also suffering—

John 3

Now there was a man of the Pharisees named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews. This man came to Jesus by night and said to him, “Rabbi, we know that you are a teacher come from God, for no one can do these signs that you do unless God is with him.” Jesus answered him, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born again he cannot see the kingdom of God.” 

As many times as I have read this chapter of John’s gospel it only occurred to me tonight that at no point did this conversation end with Nico leaving.

John 3:22 After this Jesus and his disciples went into the Judean countryside, and he remained there with them and was baptizing.

It became clear to me that Nicodemus heard everything from John 3:1 through John 3:21.

Perhaps that thought escaped me because I felt like the gospel was speaking directly to me.

I often get “lost in His Word” and everything else fades away.

I pray this is not a unique experience and that others also have this experience.