RECEIVING THE BLESSING
On a Sunday school picnic in the heat of summer, I was going around the children with a 4 gallon can of cool drink and ladling out portions to the thirsty. I came to a small boy who had a busy morning. He was red in the face, sweating profusely, obviously quite hot. He was clearly thirsty. There I was with 4 gallons of cooling drink and a desire to get rid of it speedily. Nothing would have given me greater pleasure than to give my young friend all he could drink. But he had no cup. He had no way of receiving what I was offering freely. Fortunately someone was able to come and give a cup and the lad did not die of thirst in the midst of plenty. But the cup he eventually held out in no way merited the gift. The cup was indispensable. Without it he could not receive the cooling drink. But the cup was no more than the means by which he received it.