“Bring my sons from afar and my daughters from the ends of the earth— everyone who is called by my name, whom I created for my glory, whom I formed and made.”
I was BLESSED by thinking of the parable of the lost son ever since yesterday. It speaks of hope and how we can return to God even after the worst life choices. The Father instilled a memory of his son even the servants having a decent life, even good. The party when he came home was better than good, it was GREAT!
The Father waited. God waits for us with mercy to give and love. We can always return. “While he was still a long way off, his father saw him and was filled with compassion for him.” God has been looking for us because He knows that He instilled the road map home in our hearts and souls. We don’t have to stay out in the cold, we can make our Way Home.
God gave His Best. He did. God as the Father and we as the children in this story said this child of mine was dead and is alive again – lost and is found. God always considered his child as HIS, never turned his back.
The other son, who jealously has a fit, revolts, and reminds us of the separation of sin and God, essentially saying you can’t return, but Jesus who tells this story says you can and I know the Way. The evil influence in our lives would say: you screwed up, you are worthless, you have no home. FALSE. The evil spirit even demands what it thinks it wants from the world, that it is better in evil eyes than what God wants to give. FALSE. Jesus told us the Truth: You ARE worth it! You ARE God’s child! You can return! (Jesus also demonstrated speaking back to the devil (who tried to tempt Jesus) by speaking the actual scriptures that knocked the devil down. Jesus said “God’s got this!”. Man doesn’t live by bread alone, but by every Word of God. Don’t Test God. Worship God and serve only Him. Jesus spoke old truth into new life. So He can do that for us too. We can knock down the devil by God’s Declaration of Love: God says I’m worth it.
Let us not turn back those whom God called.
An advocate in Jesus, of Jesus, by the Holy Spirit was enough to pull that lost child back, not asking to get royal treatment but to work as a servant. God gives us more than that – we serve now to help keep the Kingdom welcoming other lost sons and daughters back home – how would they know if they never heard they could come back. We have the opportunity to SHINE JESUS. Then one day and forever in Heaven we WILL have that great feast, robed by the Righteous of Jesus who is our Mercy giver. Jesus loves us, knowing all in all about us, and just holds us upright better.
We can come home (and often we do ask to serve) regardless if the world welcomes us or not. We are welcome always in God’s Eyes and Hands by His Love. God won’t make you jump through hoops, only just come home. He will teach you the steps to recovery (from worldly ways) as well. Keep your eyes focused on Him. God is God, not an artificial no power entity, remember prophet Isaiah reminded Israel that God delivered them again and again, and for us He still will. “Yes, and from ancient days I am he. No one can deliver out of my hand. When I act, who can reverse it?” Is43
Jesus never said we had to clean up our act to follow Him, we just needed to want Him more than the life we are in or could drift to. Jesus knows that Way Home. Follow Him.
Amen
The Parable of the Lost Son – Luke 15:11-32
Jesus continued: “There was a man who had two sons. The younger one said to his father, ‘Father, give me my share of the estate.’ So he divided his property between them.
“Not long after that, the younger son got together all he had, set off for a distant country and there squandered his wealth in wild living. After he had spent everything, there was a severe famine in that whole country, and he began to be in need. So he went and hired himself out to a citizen of that country, who sent him to his fields to feed pigs. He longed to fill his stomach with the pods that the pigs were eating, but no one gave him anything.
“When he came to his senses, he said, ‘How many of my father’s hired servants have food to spare, and here I am starving to death! I will set out and go back to my father and say to him: Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son; make me like one of your hired servants.’ So he got up and went to his father.
“But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and was filled with compassion for him; he ran to his son, threw his arms around him and kissed him. The son said to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son.’
“But the father said to his servants, ‘Quick! Bring the best robe and put it on him. Put a ring on his finger and sandals on his feet. Bring the fattened calf and kill it. Let’s have a feast and celebrate. For this son of mine was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.’ So they began to celebrate.
“Meanwhile, the older son was in the field. When he came near the house, he heard music and dancing. So he called one of the servants and asked him what was going on. ‘Your brother has come,’ he replied, ‘and your father has killed the fattened calf because he has him back safe and sound.’
“The older brother became angry and refused to go in. So his father went out and pleaded with him. But he answered his father, ‘Look! All these years I’ve been slaving for you and never disobeyed your orders. Yet you never gave me even a young goat so I could celebrate with my friends. But when this son of yours who has squandered your property with prostitutes comes home, you kill the fattened calf for him!’
“‘My son,’ the father said, ‘you are always with me, and everything I have is yours. But we had to celebrate and be glad, because this brother of yours was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.’”
Isaiah 43 about Israel and about us:
But now, this is what the Lord says— he who created you, Jacob, he who formed you, Israel: “Do not fear, for I have redeemed you; I have summoned you by name; you are mine. When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and when you pass through the rivers, they will not sweep over you. When you walk through the fire, you will not be burned; the flames will not set you ablaze.
“For I am the Lord your God, the Holy One of Israel, your Savior; I give Egypt for your ransom, Cush and Seba in your stead. Since you are precious and honored in my sight, and because I love you, I will give people in exchange for you, nations in exchange for your life. Do not be afraid, for I am with you; I will bring your children from the east and gather you from the west. I will say to the north, ‘Give them up!’ and to the south, ‘Do not hold them back.’
“Bring my sons from afar and my daughters from the ends of the earth – everyone who is called by my name, whom I created for my glory, whom I formed and made. Lead out those who have eyes but are blind, who have ears but are deaf. All the nations gather together and the peoples assemble. Which of their gods foretold this and proclaimed to us the former things? Let them bring in their witnesses to prove they were right, so that others may hear and say, “It is true.”
“You are my witnesses,” declares the Lord, “and my servant whom I have chosen, so that you may know and believe me and understand that I am he. Before me no god was formed, nor will there be one after me. I, even I, am the Lord; and apart from me there is no savior. I have revealed and saved and proclaimed – I, and not some foreign god among you. You are my witnesses,” declares the Lord, “that I am God. Yes, and from ancient days I am he. No one can deliver out of my hand. When I act, who can reverse it?”
Debbie Upper 