We have full access to His power... gifts... the treasures of His Kingdom...
I read it in the parable of the lost son this morning...
The son who demanded his inheritance early...
squandered everything...
spent it all...
ended up slopping pigs...
"But when he came to himself, he said, 'How many of my father's hired servants have more than enough bread, but I perish here with hunger! I will arise and go to my father and I will say to him, "Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son. Treat me as one of your hired servants."' ...."
Luke 15:17-19 ESVThis son gone wild... could not bring himself to return to his father as a son... he could only see himself returning as a servant... a slave...
But the father would have none of it... the father received his son with grace... mercy... joy... and a big celebration...! The son... fully reinstated to the family... with privilege and inheritance...
Then we have the older son... the "good" son... the one who stayed home... did all he believed he was required to do...
When we look at his reaction to the reception of his younger brother... we discover... he too... has no idea what it means to be a son... or who he is to his father...
The older brother became angry... and refused to join the party when he found out what was going on... his father graciously tried to cajole him in... invite him into the celebration...
"...but he answered his father, 'Look, these many years I have served you, and I never disobeyed your command, yet you never gave me a young goat, that I might celebrate with my friends. But when this son of yours came, who has devoured your property with prostitutes, you killed the fattened calf for him!"
Luke 15:29-30 ESVThe older brother... did not embrace himself as son either... these many years I have served you... he saw himself as a servant... a slave... he didn't understand the blessings... power... available to him as a full son of his father...
This revelation... has made me see I don't fully understand my place in His family...
I don't fully get His heart... full of love... grace... compassion... forgiveness... sometimes I feel only worthy to approach Him as a slave... a servant... certainly not as His son...
Like the older brother too... I sometimes suffer with the attitude of feeling slighted despite my service... a closed up heart... not fully receiving the Father's love... not serving out of love... not understanding my place as His son... with full access to the family resources...
I see how important it is to embrace my place as His son...
fully loved... fully accepted... fully celebrated...
fully equipped... with whatever I need... desire...
We have a Father who says... Ask and you will receive...
A Father who says... Son... you are always with me... and all that is mine is yours...
Lord... teach me to live fully... as Your son...
Teach me to receive Your love... grace... mercy...
Teach me to fully access all the treasures of Your kingdom...
the ones which are mine already...
I no longer want to grovel in guilt...
or live hardhearted as a begrudging servant...
Reveal Your love to me... teach me to live fully as Your son...
crying out... Abba!... Daddy...!
Teach me to embrace... all the privileges of a son...
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