Do You Hear God’s Voice Calling You To The Party?
Good Morning Friends,
In Western philosophy, traces of the idea that came to be called the tabula rasa appear as early as the writing of Aristotle. Islamic philosophers discussed it in relation to those who are isolated from society. St. Thomas Aquinas promoted the idea as part of Christian thought. John Locke made it more popular through An Essay Concerning Human Understanding. It favors the nurture side of the “nature versus nurture” debate. But both factors are so interactive, one philosopher answered the question of which contributes more by asking the question which contributes more to a triangle, its length or its width? The term in Latin equates to the English “blank slate” or more accurately, “erased state.” The image refers to writing on a slate sheet in chalk, but comes from the Roman tabula or wax tablet, used for notes, which was blanked by heating the wax then smoothing it give a blank slate. Today we read about a story of restlessness, rebellion, repentance and reconciliation. Today we explore a well know Psalm and Parable and get a little personal about the second chances we allow in our lives and those grudges we hold. Today we ask this question about God’s call: Do You Hear God’s Voice Calling You To The Party?
Scripture: Now all the tax-collectors and sinners were coming near to listen to him. And the Pharisees and the scribes were grumbling and saying, ‘This fellow welcomes sinners and eats with them. ‘So he told them this parable: Then Jesus said, ‘There was a man who had two sons. The 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. A 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. When he had spent everything, a severe famine took place throughout that country, and he began to be in need. So he went and hired himself out to one of the citizens of that country, who sent him to his fields to feed the pigs. He would gladly have filled himself with the pods that the pigs were eating; and no one gave him anything. But 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! I will get up and go to my father, and I will say to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you; I am no longer worthy to be called your son; treat me like one of your hired hands.’ ” So 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. Then the son said to him, “Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you; I am no longer worthy to be called your son.” But 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. And get the fatted calf and kill it, and let us eat and celebrate; for this son of mine was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found!” And they began to celebrate. ‘Now his elder son was in the field; and when he came and approached the house, he heard music and dancing. He called one of the slaves and asked what was going on. He replied, “Your brother has come, and your father has killed the fatted calf, because he has got him back safe and sound.” Then he became angry and refused to go in. His father came out and began to plead with him. But he answered his father, “Listen! For all these years I have been working like a slave for you, and I have never disobeyed your command; yet you have never given me even a young goat so that I might celebrate with my friends. But when this son of yours came back, who has devoured your property with prostitutes, you killed the fatted calf for him!” Then the father said to him, “Son, you are always with me, and all that is mine is yours. But we had to celebrate and rejoice, because this brother of yours was dead and has come to life; he was lost and has been found.” ‘
Luke 15: 1-3, 11b-32 (NRSV)
Where can I go from your spirit? Or where can I flee from your presence? If I take the wings of the morning and settle at the farthest limits of the sea, even there your hand shall lead me, and your right hand shall hold me fast.
Psalm 139:7, 9, 10 (NRSV)
Message: Like the lost son we need to put away the former life, put on a new life if we hope to overcome evil. Like the elder son we need to give up our anger and false power…we need to have pity on others as Christ has had on us. Here we learn that to be compassionate to one another is simply allowing another’s feelings to become a part of our lives, sharing with kindness in the understanding of what we feel and then risking to feel what is going on inside of each other. Friends, maybe after we have learned the lessons of kindness and compassion we can then learn the art of forgiveness. Maybe then we might realize that God has placed in the clay jars of our lives His light to shine. Maybe then we with our jars broken, torch and trumpet in hand we might be ready to make peace in our Father’s House. Where is God when we need Him? In today’s psalm we get the rich, deep and very personal song of David that declares our position in His creation. We are in the womb. God is everywhere around us. The darkness cannot hide us. If we hunger for God, He will feed us. If we thirst for righteousness, He will bless us. Wherever we are, whatever our situation, God is there with His abundant love. He never takes His eyes off of us. He never leave us alone. God is omnipresent. God is omnipotent. God is omniscient. God is all knowing. God is all powerful. God is everywhere present at the same time. As His children, though His saving act, we are in God’s scarred hands. When we have sinned and we can no more hide from God than Adam in the garden. Compare this reality with today’s parable on the teaching of relationships and people. Note the rebellion on the part of both sons. Note the unexpected grace and love he shows to both. In the end we do not know if the elder son heard the voice and was found. We do not know the end of the story and that is ok for the purpose is to write on our hearts the story of redemption. You see the story of the prodigal is about many things but overall it is about the choice of the type of relationship we want with God. So this morning do you hear his voice beseeching you? Do you see in Jesus, the father waiting for you to come home? Do you hear in the gospel, the grace of God coming to you and seeking you out? Do you see him pursuing you, in love? Know that the father will welcome both sons home. And God will welcome you home to the party too. The question is what kind of relationship you want. So this morning know you cannot get in a bind that God cannot get you out of…you cannot get in a mess that God cannot deliver you from. If you need forgiveness, God is there. If you need encouragement or strength, God is there. No matter how many times we try to run away from God, He is right there by our side. We are in the womb of His creation surrounded by Him like the very air we breathe. The comfort of this constant presence calls to us, making it impossible for very long to run away from His love. Here we have the comfort of a clean slate.
Pray for mercy and contemplate the difficulty we have in forgiving others. Pray we see the message of grace in the story of the prodigal son. Pray we understand that God loves us more than we can imagine. Pray that we come home…pray we rejoice in the complete joy of second chances. Pray we understand our role as servant to a greater good in the love of Christ. Pray we realize that being in the Kingdom of God is a wonderful opportunity to have a party. Pray we discover a glorious ending to the story. Pray we are willing to be second and to offer through our lives second chances to others for the purpose God has called us. Pray that we give up trying to hide from God. Pray that we learn to enjoy His presence…His joy…His love. Pray that we run to God each day on the wings of the dawn. Pray that we want to be where God is today. Pray that we want to dwell daily in His presence. Pray that we run away from sin and into His arms.
Blessings,
John Lawson
Daily Devotionals 