Greetings to you this morning in the name of the “Ever-Patient One”, Jesus Christ – THE Risen Saviour! What an interesting day to complete the month of August-after all the sunshine and blue skies…greyness! Oh well – this is still the day that the Lord had made and designed and presented to us to enjoy. Today as I pray for you, I will be asking Father to give you extra wisdom and energy so that you can complete your August ‘chore-list’ so that September is wide open.
As I indicated yesterday, God has been letting me wander around Luke 15 – His lost and found teachings and as He is so good at, He keeps adding insights to ponder along with the text. One of the facts that is often highlighted, but only briefly, is that of the party in heaven and in the Father’s household. It seems that although the party, with singing, dancing, feasting, and telling the story over and over again, is exciting…it isn’t really significant. However I am coming to understand that this detail is extremely important to the restoration of a sheep to the shepherd, of a coin to the woman, and the son to the Father.
When you are lost and when you have lost something important to you, you can become discouraged-disheartened-dispirited-depressed. This begins to eat away at you and affects your way of living, creating an almost disinterest in all that is around. I am quite sure that many understand this all too well. In ancient spirituality you would go to a spiritual guide who would ask four questions: when did you stop dancing? when did you stop singing? when did you stop being enchanted by stories? when did you stop finding comfort in the sweet territory of silence? Dancing, singing, stories, and silence were called the four universal salves.
So, as I read the chapter again with these details in mind another profound truth was revealed. Not only was a sheep and a coin and a son restored but a shepherd and a woman and a father was – healed. Those who know me understand that music and singing are important to me…I think it has to do with being whole inside. I am working on the dancing part though. I surely like good stories and the sweet territory of silence. However I am aware of many brothers and sisters who don’t or can’t or won’t sing or dance or enjoy stories or entertain silence/stillness. I wonder do they know that an enemy has invaded the pain and hurt that surrounds their lives and stolen their dance-song-story-silence? Let me encourage you to evaluate yourself – do you dance…even the one step left, one step right…in God’s presence, do you sing…even a joyful noise, do you let stories enchant, and do you find comfort in the sweet territory of silence?
The good news from Luke 15 is a restored sheep-coin-son…and a healed shepherd-woman-father — and wonderful, joy-filled celebrations. God can make a difference!!