Love, Compassion, and Celebration

But he was angry and refused to go in.  His father came out and entreated him, but he answered his father, “Look, these many years I have served you, and I never disobeyed your command, yet you never gave me a young goat, that I might celebrate with my friends.  But when this son of yours came, who has devoured your property with prostitutes, you killed the fattened calf for him!”  And he said to him, “Son you are always with me, and all that is mine is yours.  It was fitting to celebrate and be glad, for this your brother was dead, and is alive; he was lost, and is found’ (Luke 15:28-32). 

We’re entering the middle of the story and we have an older brother whose angry.  Let’s catch up, the younger son tells his dad he wants his part of the inheritance.  Basically, he’s wishing his father was dead, so he could collect his money and live as he pleases.  The father gives him his inheritance and the son goes on his way.  He wastes all the money on wild living. After having nothing left, he comes to his senses remembering his father, and realized he is in need, so he decides to go back home.  To his surprise the father is watching and waiting for his return, welcomes him back, and announces a homecoming celebration. 

Now, the older brother comes on the scene and he’s angry.  He had stayed home all this time, and was the obedient son.  Everything the father had was always available to him.  But when the younger brother comes home after spending his inheritance recklessly, he couldn’t join in the celebration of his brother’s return. 

The father pleads with the older brother to join them, but he refuses and goes off angry, probably some resentment and jealously as well.  The bigger problem with the older brother, although he lived at home with father, he never fully received the love of the father, therefore he had no compassion when his younger brother returned. 

As a mom, this is heartbreaking, how do settle this when you’re on both sides? 

Father, may we remember, You see us through eyes of unconditional love, no matter where we are and what we have done. 

There’s a verse for that!

After this many of his disciples turned back and no longer walked with him.  So Jesus said to the twelve, “Do you want to go away as well?” Simon Peter answered him, “Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life, and we have believed, and have come to know, that you are the Holy One of God” (John 6:66-68).

Have you had one of those moments when you just don’t know what to say, but a bible verse comes to mind. Yeah, me too, and usually it’s God’s prompting.  However, on the other side of that, we can’t just spit out bible verses to people and expect some miraculous result.  Look again at Simon’s response to Jesus, “to whom… WHOM shall we go?”  They had spent time with Jesus, they knew Him, and they knew He had the words of eternal life. They believed Him, and had come to know who He was.  It was relationship! 

Christianity is not just mere religion with a list of do’s and don’ts, it’s relationship of knowing God and knowing He knows us.  It’s revelation of Jesus, the incarnate God, who meets us right where we are.  Why?  Because you matter to Him. 

Father, You have given us Your words, so that we may believe Jesus is the Christ, and that by believing we may have life in His name.  Thank You Jesus, you haven’t lost an that are Yours, sanctify them in the truth! Amen.  

Before the Beginning of Time

In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth (Genesis 1:1).

God, eternally existing, created the heavens and the earth. The world didn’t just happen by chance, God created every detail with intention and purpose.  He created man and women to have fellowship with Him and with each other.  He created them to have dominion over all other living things, and He created them to be fruitful and multiply.  Beginning with Adam and Eve until the day Jesus returns, we were created with intention and purpose. 

Even as he chose us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and blameless before him.  In love he predestined us for adoption to himself as sons through Jesus Christ, according to the purpose of his will, to the praise of his glorious grace, with which he has blessed us in the Beloved (Ephesians 1:4-6).

Even when we were separated from God from sin, God having chosen us in him created a way for us to be restored back to relationship with Him.  He predestined from the beginning adoption for His sons and daughters through Jesus Christ. In love, you were chosen before the beginning of time to be adopted as sons and daughters through Jesus Christ.  You were chosen!!

Thank You Lord, Amen.