“It was right that we should make merry and be glad, for your brother was dead, and is alive again, and was lost and is found.” Luke 15:32
Dear Ones:
It was a wonderful day when the father recognized one of his sons coming towards the house. He had not seen this son apparently for a long time, believing him to be lost, even dead. He was lost and dead for two reasons, the first of which had to do with WHERE he should have always been, and the other, with regard to what pertains to LIFE and living, true fellowship with the father. The son had wasted his inheritance with loose living, squandered the privileges of his son-ship, and forfeited the right to even return home. What overrides the whole of the son’s need is the compassion of a father, who “…ran, and fell on his neck, and kissed him.” (Luke 15:20) We might be tempted to think that the story should end here, but it did not, for the father would do something entirely unexpected, and contrary to customary wisdom. He told his servants to, “…bring forth the best robe, and put it on him; and put a ring on his hand and shoes on his feet: and bring here the fatted calf, and kill it; and let us eat, and be merry.” (v. 22-23) What was going on in the heart of this father toward this repentant son, whose only plea was that he should be made a servant in the place of a son? Twice in this narrative it is pointed out that the father’s more than abundant blessing upon the son was for the purpose of making him to forget the past, but also, to encourage him to embrace the present reality of being the son of his father, who accepted him unconditionally. This son who was dead, and lost, was greatly blessed so that he would again decisively embrace life and purpose, in BEING the son of a loving father.
God is not like sinful man. This is one reason for which we call Him holy. In His essence, He is separate from all that is sin, selfishness, and of Satan. He is purely and perfectly all that He declares Himself to be by His own words, and by the unveiling of His character by His actions. How does this knowledge apply to us? It means that we ALWAYS begin with God, specifically the Lord Jesus Christ, when considering what we are to be, and by Whom all is possible. So, let us begin just with the thought of the “goodness” and “compassion” of God
In another of one of Jesus’ parables, He speaks of a father who has a son. The son, who is hungry, asks for bread to eat. But the father might give him a stone instead. Jesus continues the illustration, speaking of the hunger of the child, who asks for fish. The father just might offer him a serpent instead. And lastly, the child asks for an egg to eat. The father, beyond reason, will possibly propose a scorpion. Why does the Lord use such an illustration of this father, who seems to be totally insensitive, and unwilling to give his son what he needs? It is because He is painting for us a picture of what WE are, and how WE respond to real need. It is then that He contrasts this with who God IS, who is perfectly GOOD, and who correspondingly gives GOOD gifts to His children. The Lord summarizes the whole teaching by declaring: “…how much more shall your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit (…that which is GOOD) to them that ask Him!” (Lk. 11:13)
Dear Father, You are certainly not like we are, and your ways are so very much higher than our own. Give us to understand that You are perfectly compassionate, ever looking intently down that long road, to see in the distance that one who was lost, has lost all, even was dead. And give us to lay hold of the fact that the Lord Jesus came to truly “…seek and save that which was lost.” How we praise and thank Thee, in Jesus’ name, Amen.
Love, Dad