Aren't We All

Luke 15:32 - "We had to celebrate this happy day.  For your brother was dead and has come back to life!  He was lost, but now he is found!"

The story of the prodigal son is such a great story.  It really is a story about all of us.

Jesus' parable reminds us that at one time or another we all fall away from the path God put us on.  We squander the great gifts and talents that God gave us on useless things, and when we realize our failures, we return to the path God had for us.  The beauty of it is that God doesn't lecture, ridicule, or punish us either.  He rejoices!  Jesus tells us that all of heaven rejoices over one lost sinner who repents and returns to God (Luke 15:7).

In this parable, the brother that wasn't happy about the celebration is the enemy that we deal with everyday.  He cannot stand that they are celebrating over this derelict son that wasted away all that he was blessed with.  He wants the father to recognize all the good that he has done for him and his faithfulness and loyalty toward him.  While it is good that the other son has been good, faithful, and loyal to his father, the father is right for celebrating.

Aren't we all a bit like the lost son in this parable?  I know there are plenty of people who were raised in the church as children, and have spent their whole lives in a relationship with God.  Does that mean they are perfect and never sinned?  Of course not.  Everyone sins.  When we repent and turn our hearts back to God is the cause for celebration.  Winning souls for God's Kingdom is the cause for celebration.

As much as I love being spiritually fed every week at church, my favorite part of every service, is the altar call.  Seeing those people respond to the stirring in their hearts by the Holy Spirit, and giving their lives over to the Father who has always loved them, reminds me of the this parable and that God and everyone in Heaven is celebrating.  Shouldn't we all be?

Dear Father, thank You for reminding me just how loved we all really are.  I know You love me, and that You gave Your Son as a sacrifice for me, but getting little reminders here and there about just how loved I really am, is a blessing.  I am blessed that You and all of Heaven celebrated when I prayed for You to come into my heart and life, as You did for everyone else that does.  I pray for those that haven't prayed that prayer yet.  My prayer is that they will feel Your stirring in them and realize just how much You love them, and all You want to do is bless them with an abundant life filled with Your love.  In Jesus' name, Amen!



God Bless!!!