What the World Doesn't Offer
Most of us know the story of "The Prodigal Son", but I wonder if we have even gone to the depth that is there. As I was reading today another thing jumped out at me that perhaps you have seen, perhaps not. This is at least a reminder.
Using the Complete Jewish Bible Luke 15 speaks alot to redemption/renewel/restoration. The prodigal son had left his fathers' empire/kingdom as it were to search for himself, not realizing that he could only find him"self" is in his Father and could find his place in his Fathers empire/kingdom. He ventured out to "find himself", loosing who he was, is and would become had he stayed. BUT he discovered that without his Father his life was less than what it could be. From the story in Luke 15 he may have only returned to get fed better, yet without any hope of reconciliation. We can see that in the prodigals statement to his father, "I am no longer worthy"..."to be called Your son". WOW!! What a statement. Yet the father did not even hear it or did not at least entertain it. The Father ignored the past, but it was after the son's beginning and/or continual act of repentance...till the father saw him at which point the Father...RAN to him. Can you SEE IT? I CAN and have tears in my eyes. That alone is POWERFUL!!
Look further yet. We quote, "I once was lost but now I'm found" but miss the statement just before which says, "For this son of mine was dead, but now he's alive again!" It was with and after both statements "they began celebrating" EVERYTHING CAME TO.......LIFE!! It is not that he was "lost and then found" because the father saw him but did not go looking for him. The prodigal returned on his own, repented on his own, surrendered on his own and yes, after his squandering his life and wealth...BUT He's Alive....Again!!
Without the act of repentance, the return, the surrender of YOUR...SELF...you/I/we may be considered DEAD to the Father, BUT the Father still looks for us to repent, return to Him, surrender Our...SELF and HE makes us ALIVE!! Another thing to take notice of: the prodigal was still the father's son, but the prodigal had to return/repent/surrender and submit to the reality of his own statement; that, "I am no longer worthy to be called your son". I don't think it was just the son returning but the humility and acknowledging from the prodigal son to his Father that "I have sinned" and "I am no longer worthy to be called Your Son". THEN...the celebration, not just upon the returning, but upon the confession, acknowledgement and return/humility/submission to...His Fathers.....LOVE. WOW!! What a God!! Who would not WANT to return/repent/confess/surrender..?
In fact Luke 15:7 DECLARES..."I tell you that in the same way, there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who turns to God from his sins than over ninety-nine righteous people who have no need to repent." This is goo and can stand by itself as a sermon, a word if you will.
My thought however goes to Job who was one of the "ninety-nine righteous" in his day. However Job repented when he looked upon and SAW GOD. He said, "before my ears had heard of You, but NOW, my eye has seen You." and Job repented. I wonder what we miss when we look upon the words, but miss The Word who became flesh...
Jesus, Yeshua, Messiah....WE/I need YOU. SHOW US....YOURSELF and let us fall as dead men like Your beloved John did when You showed Yourself to him in Revelation.
