A certain man had two sons: 12 And the younger of them said to his father, Father, give me the portion of goods that falleth to me. And he divided unto them his living.13 And not many days after the younger son gathered all together, and took his journey into a far country, and there wasted his substance with riotous living.
14 And when he had spent all, there arose a mighty famine in that land; and he began to be in want. 15 And he went and joined himself to a citizen of that country; and he sent him into his fields to feed swine. 16 And he would fain have filled his belly with the husks that the swine did eat: and no man gave unto him.
At tis point the son realized that life was not easy when he tried to live it the way he thought he wanted to. Life back where he came from was better even as a servant in his father's house than what he had encountered living as his desires pushed him:
17 And when he came to himself, he said, How many hired servants of my father's have bread enough and to spare, and I perish with hunger!18 I will arise and go to my father, and will say unto him, Father, I have sinned against heaven, and before thee, 19 And am no more worthy to be called thy son: make me as one of thy hired servants. 20 And he arose, and came to his father.
His admission as to his wrong thinking helped him wake up and smell the roses! This is healthy guilt. Shame is a deeper feeling of unworthiness and self-deprecation. It leads to fear and condemnation both of which are unnecessary burdens to carry when one makes a correction in direction. Look at how the father reacted!
But when he was yet a great way off, his father saw him, and had compassion, and ran, and fell on his neck, and kissed him. 21 And the son said unto him, Father, I have sinned against heaven, and in thy sight, and am no more worthy to be called thy son.
22 But the father said to his servants, Bring forth the best robe, and put it on him; and put a ring on his hand, and shoes on his feet: 23 And bring hither the fatted calf, and kill it; and let us eat, and be merry: 24 For this my son was dead, and is alive again; he was lost, and is found. And they began to be merry.
Just like this parable, God's heart jumps for joy when we realize that God's heart and hand on our lives brings peace and strength! Worldly thinking will tempt us to question freedom, but true freedom is experienced in living without fear and its burdens.
The other son needed some help too:
25 Now his elder son was in the field: and as he came and drew nigh to the house, he heard musick and dancing. 26 And he called one of the servants, and asked what these things meant. 27 And he said unto him, Thy brother is come; and thy father hath killed the fatted calf, because he hath received him safe and sound.
28 And he was angry, and would not go in: therefore came his father out, and intreated him.29 And he answering said to his father, Lo, these many years do I serve thee, neither transgressed I at any time thy commandment: and yet thou never gavest me a kid, that I might make merry with my friends: 30 But as soon as this thy son was come, which hath devoured thy living with harlots, thou hast killed for him the fatted calf.
He had some issues in his thinking:
31 And he said unto him, Son, thou art ever with me, and all that I have is thine. 32 It was meet that we should make merry, and be glad: for this thy brother was dead, and is alive again; and was lost, and is found. Luke 15:11-32
A parable is meant to teach a simple lesson. This parable is about God's love and not about the either son missing the mark. The center of the target is God's huge love that never stops. He does not withhold love but we often lose sight of it and that is when we miss out.
The other day I was at a shooting range and was having trouble lining the sights of the gun. Each eye gave me a different picture. God gave us two eyes that provide depth when used together. It is when we focus with both of them that our brain actually does the seeing without conflict. Our spiritual eyes do the same thing. We see one thing with one eye and another image with the other. Opening both eyes brings focus. Looking at both stories of the two sons at the same time shows us greater depth of the enormous love of the the father toward both sons.
No comments:
Post a Comment