Day 258: Who Will Bring Enough Of The Bread Which Gives Life?
Read: Luke 15:15 - 17
My friends, permit me to get a bit personal with you today. Not
intimately so, but still, permit me to get a little bit closer and a
little bit deeper into your comfort zones. I am continuing our journey with this rebellious child because so much of it is so richly and regrettably our own. I have chosen today to try and get a wee bit
closer to this child. I have chosen to try and enter the rebellious
child's personal space. I desire to come alongside and join this
child in their journey of waywardness. I desire to come closer, become
empathetic or sympathetic I know not which. I pray that you will come away with me for a few moments. Why? Simply because this is someone else's child.
I am not too sure it will be a fun and pleasant journey. Probably not the best of ways to come into your weekends. It is Father's day weekend after all and it is definitely a time to celebrate all those fathers which give their all to their
children. By all means I beg that you continue your celebrations in
earnest. But take a few moments of your time to remember too this
wayward, rebellious child has a Father too that waits for His child to
return home to His Loving Father's out stretched arms. A Father who
will, unconditionally choose for the sake of the one, set everything
else aside. He will wait. He will wait as long as it takes for the moment, for the day, when His child hungers.
Two people on opposite sides of life. Both suffering for the desperate want and need of each others company. Both are crying buckets for each other. This
child who is on their knees, covered head to toe in pig slop, smelling
so bad that pigs will not come near him and neither will anyone else. He
is unclean. He is untouchable. He is a very pitiable sight to behold for anyone who will even take a moment to look. Is this child worthy of our empathy or our sympathy? What do you think? He has made
his bed! I can easily say - "you did it to yourself!" "I told you this
would happen!" "You broke it, on your own so now can just you fix it on
your own too!" Is this why we come near?
17 'But when he came
to his senses, he said, ‘How many of my father’s hired men have more
than enough bread, but I am dying here with hunger!' We watch as the
moment has arrived when the child regains their senses. They are mad at
themselves for where they are, fully aware of where they have placed themselves and how they placed themselves there. He asks in anguish "how many of of my fathers hired men have more than enough bread to eat?" My question for you to ponder is how many of us who allegedly stake their claim to being disciples 'hired men' of
our Father God thought enough to bring enough bread of life (Jesus
Christ) to give life to God's child?
Let Us Pray: We praise You, O God of the Harvest and Lord of all creation, and ask for
You blessings upon all fathers and their children, not only upon them
but upon all of the wayward and rebellious children of Your kingdom who
wander far and wide, who
find themselves on their knees, starving, covered head to toe in pig slop, untouchable,
and utterly pitiable in their outward appearance. You send us, Your alleged disciples,
Your 'hired hands' to come alongside. But we are too often repulsed, too often we're
ill-prepared in our hearts to give of ourselves the way You need us to give. Lord, put
a loaf of bread in our hands, place the Bread which gives Life, Jesus, into our hearts.
God, Let the Bread of Life that we bring give strength that this child may return home.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AN0Wr9kebPc
Fill Me Up - Jesus Culture
www.youtube.com
MERCY JESUS
My friends, permit me to get a bit personal with you today. Not intimately so, but still, permit me to get a little bit closer and a little bit deeper into your comfort zones. I am continuing our journey with this rebellious child because so much of it is so richly and regrettably our own. I have chosen today to try and get a wee bit closer to this child. I have chosen to try and enter the rebellious child's personal space. I desire to come alongside and join this child in their journey of waywardness. I desire to come closer, become empathetic or sympathetic I know not which. I pray that you will come away with me for a few moments. Why? Simply because this is someone else's child.
I am not too sure it will be a fun and pleasant journey. Probably not the best of ways to come into your weekends. It is Father's day weekend after all and it is definitely a time to celebrate all those fathers which give their all to their children. By all means I beg that you continue your celebrations in earnest. But take a few moments of your time to remember too this wayward, rebellious child has a Father too that waits for His child to return home to His Loving Father's out stretched arms. A Father who will, unconditionally choose for the sake of the one, set everything else aside. He will wait. He will wait as long as it takes for the moment, for the day, when His child hungers.
Two people on opposite sides of life. Both suffering for the desperate want and need of each others company. Both are crying buckets for each other. This child who is on their knees, covered head to toe in pig slop, smelling so bad that pigs will not come near him and neither will anyone else. He is unclean. He is untouchable. He is a very pitiable sight to behold for anyone who will even take a moment to look. Is this child worthy of our empathy or our sympathy? What do you think? He has made his bed! I can easily say - "you did it to yourself!" "I told you this would happen!" "You broke it, on your own so now can just you fix it on your own too!" Is this why we come near?
17 'But when he came to his senses, he said, ‘How many of my father’s hired men have more than enough bread, but I am dying here with hunger!' We watch as the moment has arrived when the child regains their senses. They are mad at themselves for where they are, fully aware of where they have placed themselves and how they placed themselves there. He asks in anguish "how many of of my fathers hired men have more than enough bread to eat?" My question for you to ponder is how many of us who allegedly stake their claim to being disciples 'hired men' of our Father God thought enough to bring enough bread of life (Jesus Christ) to give life to God's child?
Let Us Pray: We praise You, O God of the Harvest and Lord of all creation, and ask for
You blessings upon all fathers and their children, not only upon them but upon all of the wayward and rebellious children of Your kingdom who wander far and wide, who
find themselves on their knees, starving, covered head to toe in pig slop, untouchable,
and utterly pitiable in their outward appearance. You send us, Your alleged disciples,
Your 'hired hands' to come alongside. But we are too often repulsed, too often we're
ill-prepared in our hearts to give of ourselves the way You need us to give. Lord, put
a loaf of bread in our hands, place the Bread which gives Life, Jesus, into our hearts.
God, Let the Bread of Life that we bring give strength that this child may return home.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AN0Wr9kebPc
Fill Me Up - Jesus Culture
www.youtube.com
MERCY JESUS
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