Greetings in the name of the One who challenges us to be people experiencing Holy Spirit power, Jesus Christ – THE Risen Saviour! Wow! the last weekend of February and a good-looking day as well. I trust that you have had a week that blessed you and gave purpose to your daily adventure in life. I believe that one of the strongest longings within a human heart is to have “purpose” and find meaning in the daily routine of life.Today I will be praying for you, asking Father to reveal to you…your purpose and accent that which gives meaning to your days.
Over the last few days I have reading and studying and listening to God about the journey we are on. Oh, I think I forgot to mention – we are in the season of Lent…since February 10th – Ash Wednesday…and that means we are heading towards Good Friday and Easter Sunday. We are going to the Cross and the Empty Tomb – and this journey can be very powerful and revealing. It is a journey of repentance, surrender, and freedom. Over the past days, God has lead me to the “Lost and Found” stories in Luke 15…sheep, coins, and sons, stories that teach such simple truths about getting ‘lost’ and finding ourselves and being found.
I won’t rehash the stories but I will tell you some things that I noticed from the story of the lost sons…one on the outside of the family and the other on the inside of the family. Yes it is true we can get lost and wander from God and we can, also, get lost being around Him all the time. First, thing to consider is we get ‘lost’ by wanting what is already there for us but we aren’t aware of the value of the context. The inheritance was right there and the celebration of belonging to the family was right there — but neither son understood the significance. They both wanted exclusive rights to what was already theirs to share.
Second, thing I see, and this relates to repentance, is that the story rests on each son realizing in their thinking – mind – that something was wrong in how their life was working…one lost all he had…the inheritance… and the other couldn’t have all he lost…the family experience of belonging. What a dilemma–and that is what repentance is all about, an understanding that begins in our mind, our thinking, that some thing is missing.
Third, is the emotional, the heart side, of repentance…and here is where the story reveals the nature of the sons. One says that he will go and express his unworthiness, while the other goes to state how worthy he is. Again that is the fact of repentance, there needs to be an emotional response that releases the selfish thoughts and actions of finding oneself ‘lost’. It seems that when the emotions kick-in then the will is activated and a journey is made back to the Father – one son goes to find forgiveness and the other goes to express judgement. One goes to be included and the other chooses exclusion. For one – repentance is realized and for the other – repentance is rejected.
During this season of Lent as we journey to Calvary, let us be honest with ourselves. Have we got a little “lost” in our Christian walk? Is our way working? Everything that God has is available to us at any time…purpose, provision, relationship, and belonging. It all hinges on surrender…I think that might be next weeks blog.
Have a great weekend – be blessed!