“Yesterday,” Stan commented one morning while we waited for breakfast, “I mailed a package to a friend back in the old town where we used to live.”
“A package of what?” I asked.
“Books,” Stan replied. “I hate to admit it, but these were some books he had loaned to me a long time ago. I forgot to return them, but I finally did.”
“Good for you,” I commented. “Hope he gets them.”
“Me, too,” Stan said. “In fact, when I mailed the package I asked for a tracking number so I can keep track and make sure he gets the package.”
“It occurred to me later, when I was reading in Luke’s gospel,” he continued, “that’s kind of like what Jesus said about receiving the package.”
“Receiving the package?” I said. “What package was Jesus talking about?”
“Let’s take a look,” Stan replied. “At one point in His earthly ministry, Jesus was talking to His disciples about receiving Him. He said that whoever receives Him receives the One who sent Him.”
“The One who sent Him,” I said. “That would be His Father? Right?”
“Exactly,” Stan replied. “And later on Jesus was talking about receiving the Holy Spirit. So, it seems to me, Jesus was talking about receiving the whole package.”
“The whole package?” I said. “Oh, you mean like the whole package of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Is that it?”
“You got it, my friend,” Stan replied. “That’s what God has available for us,. At some point He’s going to ask us about the package. Our lives on both sides of eternity depend on our answer to His question of whether or not we’ve received the package!”
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Bible verses to consider:
Whoever receives this child in My name receives Me; and whoever receives Me receives Him who sent Me. Luke 9:48.
He who receives you receives Me, and he who receives Me receives Him who sent Me. Matthew 10:40.
And when He had said this, He breathed on them, and said, “Receive the Holy Spirit.” John 20:22.
And he (Paul) said to them, “Did you receive the Holy Spirit when you believed?” Acts of the Apostles 19:2.
Prayer: Thank you, Father, for your free and gracious provision of life eternally with you so I could receive it, not only for later, but also for now while I am here. I confess that too often, even though I know I will be with you in eternity, I don’t receive all you have for me on this side of eternity. Please forgive the foolishness of trying to live this life without receiving all you have for me. Help me to follow every step of your lead so I do, in fact, receive and embrace all you have for me. Thank you that I can and do bring these prayers before you in the name of Jesus. Amen.
Think on this: Have you received what God has for you so you know you will spend eternity in His presence, beginning now? If no, why? Why do you want to remain separated from God for all of eternity? That’s a long time! If you are a Christian with the assurance of salvation and redemption, how are you doing with receiving all that God has for you while He keeps you here? If you sense the need for change, how is that going to happen? Is that what you want? Why or why not?
Waiting for the Train 