15 July 2020

Ok I know this story from the bible… or so I thought. Thinking about it more the Holy Spirit shared some stuff with me that was very pertinent to life right now.

The bible story is the Prodigal Son. It’s in Luke 15. There are two sons. One son who does  wrong and the other son who seems to do the right thing. It is the story of a son who wants his part of the inheritance now, to spend and use on his life. He basically tells his Father, “you are dead to me. You don’t matter to me. All that matters is what I can get out of you.” So sad. The Father is very sad.

Then this son goes and squanders all his money on a “good” life. The wine, the women and the wealth are part of the picture. At this point in the story the son decides to go back to his Dad and ask to be one of his servants. For even his Father’s servants eat better and are treated better than the pigpen where he finds himself.

Firstly, this son must have known a bit of the Father’s heart, hoping for the Father’s mercy, to even expect to go back into the Father’s household, even if it was just as a servant.

What surprised him was the True Measure of the Father’s Mercy!!!!!

He was welcomed back, still as an heir to the Father’s Kingdom, even though he had treated the Father so badly.  His attitude had been he wanted him dead, remember, so he could have the inheritance. This son in returning and in repenting of how he had treated his Dad, did not even get the words out and the Father had embraced him.

God’s love does not require any explanations. He is glad we are home and wants to love us and give us back everything he desires to give us.

It made me think, am I sometimes, (even a little), like the prodigal Son? My life drifts away from God. Some thing or some experience or someone in my life where I am struggling moves my focus back to My Father and His lifestyle and His Kingdom. I am drawn to Him to return to Him who is All Love, All merciful.

My heart moves away from My first Love. I have to return. Returning is a lifelong struggle. I am frail but My Father knows this. His Heart for me is merciful, full of love that never fades.

His arms are always open wide, waiting to embrace me!

Then I read about the second son – oh that could be me too! This son stays with the Father and seems to do all the right things. All the right acts of love and honour to His Father. But boy is he peeved when his brother comes home. Not because his brother returns and asks to be a servant. I think he could have coped with that. But because of what His Father does!

How unfair! ‘My brother deserves to be treated like a servant now because of how he dishonoured his Father. Not to be brought back into the Father’s household and given back his inheritance. He already squandered it! Now he’s taking part of mine!’

The Father sees and knows what is in the older son’s heart and goes to talk to him. He explains that “you my son, have everything but your brother was lost and now is found.”

Do we act like this to others who seem to get a second chance from God? They don’t seem to get the repercussions from their bad choices, and when they finally turn back to God and Godly behaviour God forgives them. How unfair! Surely they should get what they deserve. Retribution.

But that’s what Jesus did on the cross for us. Took what we deserved in judgment upon himself. Then restored us back as sons and daughters of His Kingdom.

It made me remember I need to live with God’s Kingdom values. God can favour whoever he wants to. God can forgive whoever He wants to. God can love whoever He wants to.

Oh this makes me love and honour my God more.

Thank God He is like this.

May these jottings from my journal inspire you to believe in and fall in love with Christ- the hope of the world, as stated in Jeremiah 17:7, ‘Blessed is the man who believes and trusts in and relies on the Lord and whose hope and confident expectation is the Lord!’

Love

Rosemary

Every week groups of ladies meet together to chat about the things I raise in my weekly blog post and to chat about life in general. We call these ‘Heart Connect’ groups. If you would like more information please click HERE.

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS

Which son do you relate to? Could it be both?

Do you have a pre-conceived idea of how merciful God is? Do we limit God?

Where has God shown you mercy in your life? Are you grateful for that?