What is the best gift of all?

“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?” (Luke 11:13)

When I last read this, I was struck at the punchline…

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.

I am not sure what I was expecting, but I wasn’t expecting the Holy Spirit as the best gift of all. All that day I kept thanking God for the Holy Spirit and thinking about why God the Spirit is the best gift God can give us.

The Holy Spirit is probably the most misunderstood Person of the Godhead. Some fear paying too much attention to Him. Others confess having trouble considering God the Spirit as a Person instead of an “it”. Francis Chan even wrote an entire book, The Forgotten God: Reversing Our Tragic Neglect of the Holy Spirit. Yet God the Father says to His children (who already have God the Son) that His best gift is the Spirit.

Now, after one month of pondering, I am starting to understand. Here are a few of many reasons:

• The Holy Spirit is sent to dwell in every person who trusts Christ as their Savior and Lord. To have the Holy Spirit means you have the gift of salvation! …And if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, they do not belong to Christ. (Romans 8:9b)
• The Holy Spirit transforms us with qualities that reflect the character of God. But the Holy Spirit produces this kind of fruit in our lives: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. There is no law against these things!
  (Galatians 5:22, 23)
  
• The Holy Spirit is our seal that preserves us for the promise of heaven. And in Him, having heard and believed the word of truth-the gospel of your salvation-you were sealed with the promised Holy Spirit, who is the pledge of our inheritance until the redemption of those who are God’s possession, to the praise of His glory.…(Ephesians 1:13, 14)
• The Holy Spirit gives us power. But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; (Acts 1:8a)
• The Holy Spirit guides us into truth. But when he, the Spirit of truth, comes, he will guide you into all truth. (John 16:13)

We worship God in Three Persons: God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit. God the Father sends God the Son (John 3:16), and God the Son (Jesus) then sends God the Holy Spirit (John 16:7)

To have the Spirit means to have the entire Godhead.

Having the Spirit means we also have a relationship with the Son and the Father. All Three are at our disposal every second of every day. All Three are working in perfect unity toward us who believe. We have the Triune God’s protection, power, and continual involvement in our lives if we choose to live in cooperation.

So often we think the gifts we want are the good job, nice house, a drama- free family, good health and a robust checkbook. But even if we never get any of the earthly blessings…

we always have the Spirit, the best gift of all.

Picture Explanation: Father and son go camping. And I think the campfire photo is my new favorite. Melts me for a thousand reasons.

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