My grandson's single passion was football, about which I knew nothing. I bought a football board game thinking they would enjoy teaching me the rules of the game, but they didn’t want to sit at the table and play imaginary football.

They wanted me to run, toss and catch the ball.

They started throwing the ball back and forth to each other, begging me to join in. But the ball is hard and it scared me. When the ball came flying toward me, I couldn’t help but flinch and yelp as it bounced off my fingers and skipped out of bounds. Embarrassed, I asked the boys to teach me how to catch.

Don’t be afraid, they told me. Instead of backing away from the ball I needed to grab it with both hands and pull it into myself. Oh, to embrace it? They were right. That made all the difference.

Jesus has been teaching me a similar lesson. His words, like a football, often make me flinch and I let the words bounce off — afraid of what? His peace? His gifts? He wants me to grab them, embrace them, and run with them. He enjoys teaching the basics of throwing (or sowing) and catching (or receiving). When I ask Him to teach me, I sense His laugh as He embraces me and lets me know that playing and being with Him is much more fulfilling than studying the rules of the game.

Jesus, here I am, ready to receive.

Jesus poured out His blood for the New Covenant of grace and truth, replacing the Old Covenant letter of the law of Moses. Believers are exclusively under the New Covenant, the last will and testament of Jesus that began after the cross.