by Emily Wooten
Our scripture reference is taken from Luke 15. There was a man who had two sons. One son asked his father for his share of the family wealth, and soon after, he took it and left for a distant country. There, he spent everything recklessly and ended up in great need when a famine struck. Finally, he realized that even his father’s hired workers had plenty to eat while he was starving. He decided to return home. He planned to ask to be treated as a servant. But his father saw him, was filled with compassion, and ran to embrace him.
Meanwhile, the other son had stayed home and didn’t squander what was entrusted to him. While he stayed at home and worked, we see an attitude that was anything but Godly. When his father embraced his brother and celebrated his homecoming, the son who hadn’t left was jealous. See what he said to his father. ” Lo, these many years do I serve thee, neither transgressed I at any time thy commandment: and yet thou never gave me a goat, that I might make merry with my friends: But as soon as this thy son was come, which has devoured your living wasted it, you have killed for him the fatted calf.” His words paint a picture of a man who feels abused, slighted and suffering loss. He had dotted the i’s and crossed the T’s in obedience but he had failed to recognize all the blessings he had around him. He didn’t have confidence to take advantage of the opportunities that were available and his for the taking.
His father said, “You have been here with me always, and all that I have is thine.” That son had just assumed his father would not want him to party with his friends or enjoy the benefits of being his son. He assumed the worst. We see a man who had everything but failed to acknowledge the benefits of being a child of a well-to-do man.
When Jesus bore our sins, God set into motion everything that was required to purchase our place in the Kingdom of God. We are not without a portion. If you have accepted Jesus as your Lord, confessed he is the son of God, you have accessed eternal life. When you accept Jesus as Lord, eternal life is only one of the benefits. Healing, Peace, Joy, Love and Faith were included in the price he paid for our redemption physically, spiritually and emotionally. We are children of the living God, heirs and joint heirs with Jesus Christ. In our Father’s house is provision for every thing we might ever need.
In the story of the prodigal son we recognize the prodigal son’s error but are we guilty of not recognizing the grace and favor God has made available to us? Are we going through the motions, crossing the T’s and dotting every i, while missing the fact that our father has always loved us and provided for us? He said in James 4:2, we have not because we ask not.
1 Peter 2:9 But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvelous light;
2 Peter 1:2-4 Grace and peace be multiplied unto you through the knowledge of God, and of Jesus our Lord, According as his divine power hath given unto us all things that pertain unto life and godliness, through the knowledge of him that hath called us to glory and virtue: Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises: that by these ye might be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust.
We have already escaped and knowledge of God helps us continue to escape because we refuse to yield our members to ungodly behavior. Ungodly behavior includes attributing lack and harm to God our Father when Satan is the god of this world. He is the one who goes about seeking whom he may devour. Refuse to be lunch! Instead be an overcomer by the blood of the lamb and word of your testimony.
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