Are You Ready to Return? Are You Ready for the King?
Good Morning Friends,
At one point in my life, about 15 years ago, I managed runaway shelters with the Lutherans. The experience brought me face to face with defiant youth 24/7…youth that had broken off relationships with their parents. They did to their parents what Israel had done to God…what Gomer did to Hosea….what the Prodigal Son did to the Prodigal Father. Through the experience I learned that God loves each of us …unconditionally, but that we rarely share this same steadfast love with each other. The runaway… throwaway youth always tested us to see if our love was persistent. In the experience I learned that God lavishly gives each of us the love and resources needed to weather the storms of life. And God continues to care for us, even as He calls out for us to please come home to an even more abundant love that is to be multiplied and shared. And here in His loving arms, God not only helps us to overcome the suffering of our hearts but helps us to discover that if we choose Jesus, nothing can separate us from the power of God’s steadfast love. Are You Ready to Return? Are You Ready for the King?
Scripture: Top of Form
9For as you return to the Lord, your kindred and your children will find compassion with their captors, and return to this land. For the Lord your God is gracious and merciful, and will not turn away his face from you, if you return to him.’
2 Chronicles 30:9 (NRSV)
11Then Jesus* said, ‘There was a man who had two sons. 12The younger of them said to his father, “Father, give me the share of the property that will belong to me.” So he divided his property between them. 13A few days later the younger son gathered all he had and travelled to a distant country, and there he squandered his property in dissolute living. 14When he had spent everything, a severe famine took place throughout that country, and he began to be in need. 15So he went and hired himself out to one of the citizens of that country, who sent him to his fields to feed the pigs. 16He would gladly have filled himself with* the pods that the pigs were eating; and no one gave him anything. 17But when he came to himself he said, “How many of my father’s hired hands have bread enough and to spare, but here I am dying of hunger! 18I will get up and go to my father, and I will say to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you; 19I am no longer worthy to be called your son; treat me like one of your hired hands.’ ” 20So he set off and went to his father. But while he was still far off, his father saw him and was filled with compassion; he ran and put his arms around him and kissed him. 21Then the son said to him, “Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you; I am no longer worthy to be called your son.”*
22But the father said to his slaves, “Quickly, bring out a robe—the best one—and put it on him; put a ring on his finger and sandals on his feet. 23And get the fatted calf and kill it, and let us eat and celebrate; 24for this son of mine was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found!” And they began to celebrate.
Luke 15:11-24 (NRSV)
To all who received him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God.
John 1:12 (NIV)
Message: Scripture declares that all humanity has turned away from God, and must return to him. The term “repentance” is often used to refer to this process of returning to God and the inward and outward changes that it demands of people. Scripture also indicates that believers can wander away from God; they too must return to him. Here we see that there is power in the positive thinking of us being children of God. Here we see the power enduring memories have to encourage us. Here we see a real transformation occur when we see ourselves as children of the King and the King ruling from Heaven. In today’s scripture we see that God is love regardless of situations. We are to cry out for it. We are to discover it. We are to live it. We are to be embraced by it. The message is clear…the goal of love is to share it. The goal is to have a love that cannot die. And here basking in Christian kindness and compassion we are to go out of our way to walk in His way… loving the unlovely….blessing as we have been blessed. Returning…repenting…in the presence of God. Friends, stop dancing in the secular world. It is lost. Know that there is only the sacred and the desecrated.
Pray we know a God of grace and mercy. Pray we know the joy of drawing near to God. Pray we are restored into a right relationship. Pray we believe in our hearts. Pray that God gives us victory over that which enslaves us. Pray that His great redemptive work continue… Pray that despite our persistent and rebellious lives, God’s persevering love will prevail in our lives and those we touch.
Blessings,
John Lawson
Daily Devotionals 