Day 260: One Thing Remains At Home - The Depth Of Our Father's Love
Read: Luke 15:20 - 24
The word for today that I would pray that you keep in your heart is
Reunion. Family reunion. Let that phrase sink in for a while as well.
Re-Union as in bringing together once again of that which has been
for a substantial period of time, been separated by a measurable or
immeasurable distance of travel. Family and friend get separated for whatever reason - job, raising a family, school, retirement, health and wellness. I would also have to include separation as a result of a relationship
gone horribly bad, personal as in divorce, spiritual as in times of
great doubt about God, Jesus Christ and the Holy Spirit (Where were You God when ... Psalm 137). From a Very long way off.
In today’s devotional effort, I pray you will see one of the greatest
reunions in all the Bible when the Prodigal Son came home to his father.
In this parable the father is a picture of the compassionate Savior. It
reveals to us how Christ receives sinful men. What a beautiful
scene of reconciliation. The rebellious child is welcomed home with the
full love and warmth of their gracious father. No grudges! No
recriminations! No reminders of past mistakes. No accusations. It is God
who loves and redeems us all. How many of you now reading this devotion experienced this during your Father's Day celebrations? How many of you witnessed this greatest of reunions in your families?
If you could see into the Father's heart what do you imagine you would see? The true depth of The Father’s Love (v. 20). You see it in His Patience (20a) as The Father has waited who knows how long for his son to return home. You see it in His
Persistence (20b) as The Father ran who knows how far to meet his son.
You see it in His great Passion for the moment (20c) as He stood there
for who knows how long kissing his son repeatedly. If you could get
close enough into the Father's heart, could you hear the resounding
declaration of The Father’s Love (v. 21-24)? His sins were Excused as
(21) The Father did not hold his past against him. What more could our
Father do?
He Spared No Expenses (22-24)! He gave him the very
best of what he had: A Robe of State covering up his scars; a Ring -
Identifying with the Father's household; He gave His child sandals worn
only by sons - a powerful mark of complete restoration; He gave His
child great rewards - the best fatted calf held only for very most
special events. What more could our Father do for us? A child returned
home to His Father and a great celebration broke out! What a wonderful
picture of our Father's desire for His church. When a single sinner
comes to know the Father's Love! Yes, and when a believer who has fallen
into sin is once again restored. Love, the one thing remaining!
Let Us Pray: Father, give me Your heart of joy when the lost come home to You. Help me to never give up on the one who seems so very far away from You, their Father. Let the joy of my Father's Love for me be the one thing remaining steadfast in my life, the Three In One Father, Son, and Holy Spirit thing, the most important
thing that I'll ever need to keep celebrating with You. Thank You
Father God for waiting for me.
http://www.youtube.com/
Read: Luke 15:20 - 24
The word for today that I would pray that you keep in your heart is Reunion. Family reunion. Let that phrase sink in for a while as well. Re-Union as in bringing together once again of that which has been for a substantial period of time, been separated by a measurable or immeasurable distance of travel. Family and friend get separated for whatever reason - job, raising a family, school, retirement, health and wellness. I would also have to include separation as a result of a relationship gone horribly bad, personal as in divorce, spiritual as in times of great doubt about God, Jesus Christ and the Holy Spirit (Where were You God when ... Psalm 137). From a Very long way off.
In today’s devotional effort, I pray you will see one of the greatest reunions in all the Bible when the Prodigal Son came home to his father. In this parable the father is a picture of the compassionate Savior. It reveals to us how Christ receives sinful men. What a beautiful scene of reconciliation. The rebellious child is welcomed home with the full love and warmth of their gracious father. No grudges! No recriminations! No reminders of past mistakes. No accusations. It is God who loves and redeems us all. How many of you now reading this devotion experienced this during your Father's Day celebrations? How many of you witnessed this greatest of reunions in your families?
If you could see into the Father's heart what do you imagine you would see? The true depth of The Father’s Love (v. 20). You see it in His Patience (20a) as The Father has waited who knows how long for his son to return home. You see it in His Persistence (20b) as The Father ran who knows how far to meet his son. You see it in His great Passion for the moment (20c) as He stood there for who knows how long kissing his son repeatedly. If you could get close enough into the Father's heart, could you hear the resounding declaration of The Father’s Love (v. 21-24)? His sins were Excused as (21) The Father did not hold his past against him. What more could our Father do?
He Spared No Expenses (22-24)! He gave him the very best of what he had: A Robe of State covering up his scars; a Ring - Identifying with the Father's household; He gave His child sandals worn only by sons - a powerful mark of complete restoration; He gave His child great rewards - the best fatted calf held only for very most special events. What more could our Father do for us? A child returned home to His Father and a great celebration broke out! What a wonderful picture of our Father's desire for His church. When a single sinner comes to know the Father's Love! Yes, and when a believer who has fallen into sin is once again restored. Love, the one thing remaining!
Let Us Pray: Father, give me Your heart of joy when the lost come home to You. Help me to never give up on the one who seems so very far away from You, their Father. Let the joy of my Father's Love for me be the one thing remaining steadfast in my life, the Three In One Father, Son, and Holy Spirit thing, the most important thing that I'll ever need to keep celebrating with You. Thank You Father God for waiting for me.
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One Thing Remains - Jesus Culture (lyric video)
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Lyric
video in the style of iWorship to Jesus Culture's "One Thing Remains."
Some of the motion backgrounds were free of copyright via this man
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