Devotional
For the Week—28 Aug 2006
The
Son Returns
Scripture
Text: Luke
15: 11-32
Introduction
What
is Christianity? Christianity is the religion of the heart.
Do we love our Lord as we ought to? The way we perceive
God will determine how we live our life. In the parable
of the prodigal son, the sons viewed their father differently
from each other. Until both sons understood their father,
they were not able to trust him with their lives or future
or allow him to bless them.
Lessons
1.
Servant
heart of God the Father
2. Operating
within God’s Order
3. Never
will be shortchanged by God
Servant
Heart Of God The Father
In
this parable we can see God’s servant heart in the
character of the loving father. The father paid attention
to his sons and gave his younger son a share of the property
even when this son essentially wished that his father
was dead. When the younger son realized his wrong and
turned back to the family home, the father ran down the
road to meet him and gave him back his status even though
the younger son did not deserve it. The father did not
demand an apology from his son but knew that his son was
repentant and received him with open arms. Such too is
God our father’s love for us.
What
is our response to God when we sin? In Romans 2:4 (English
Standard Version), we are asked “or do you presume
on the riches of his kindness and forbearance and patience,
not knowing that God’s kindness is meant to lead
you to repentance?“ God continually helps us. His
angels are ministering spirits to us, blessing us even
though we do not deserve His mercy and grace. In Mark
10:45 Jesus also said “For even I, the Son of Man
came here not
to be served
but to serve others
and to give my life as a ransom for many.” We must
remember that God is good all the time and by knowing
who God really is, we should be content to live a lifestyle
that stays and operates within God’s order. Do not
presume on God’s grace and mercy. Repent of your
sins and receive the Father’s ready love and forgiveness.
Operating
Within God’s Order
Just
as there are physical laws that govern the physical universe,
there are also spiritual laws. Living in the father’s
estate is akin to staying within God’s order. This
means that we are to live out God’s will in our
daily life. When we live outside of God’s will,
we will find ourselves in trouble. However, when we walk
in God’s will, we come under the protection of God
from spiritual attack. What made this younger son want
to leave his father’s estate? He may have wanted
to live independently of his father. He also wanted to
seek fulfillment in sin. We are told that the son squandered
his wealth in wild living (see verse 13). What were the
consequences of this? There was a great famine and the
son was in desperate need. He took a job feeding pigs
which even ate better than him. He got himself in great
trouble. This is what happens when we run way from God
and try to order our own lives.
Now
let us look at the older son. Although the older son remained
in the father’s estate, he too did not operate in
God’s order. The older son did not understand the
heart of his father. In the same way, while we, as Christians,
may not be living the wild life, we will miss the blessings
of God if we do not have an intimate relationship with
Him. What does God offer us? He offers us power, joy,
peace, security, love and all the patience we need. God
loves to gives us these gifts bountifully because that
is His nature, but we need to spend time with God and
also to ask Him for such gifts.
Never
Will Be Shortchanged By God
A
wealthy man had one son whom he loved dearly. One day,
the son’s friend appeared with a portrait he had
painted after the son died in military action. When the
wealthy man died, an auction was held to sell his art
collection. However, the portrait of his son was to be
auctioned first. The person who bought the picture of
the son would also receive all the other art pieces because
the wealthy man decreed in his will that ‘whoever
chooses my son gets it all.’
Indeed,
God is saying the same thing. Whoever chooses God’s
Son, Jesus Christ, receives it all. We can never out-give
God so we will never be shortchanged by God. Will you
choose Jesus today? If you are already a Christian, rejoice
when an unbeliever (regardless of his past) turns to Christ.
Do not be like the older son in the parable.
The
consequences of living independently of God and trying
to find fulfillment in sin will be appalling. You will
end up creating your own hell. The good news is that you
do not have to stay in that condition! Repent and return
to God. Just like the prodigal son when he returned to
his father, he was not shortchanged by his generous loving
father.
Application