Come Home for Christmas
Wednesday, December 20, 2006
My Prayer Today
Heavenly Father, Thank You for bringing me to my senses when I have found myself at the low points in life—low points I have created by turning away from You! Thank You for reminding me that “home” is a better place, when it’s home with You. Fill me with Your Holy Spirit today that I may live my life in faithfulness and joy today! This I ask in Jesus’ name. Amen.
God’s Word Today
Luke 15:11-32
11To illustrate the point further, Jesus told them this story: “A man had two sons. 12The younger son told his father, ‘I want my share of your estate now, instead of waiting until you die.’ So his father agreed to divide his wealth between his sons.
13“A few days later this younger son packed all his belongings and took a trip to a distant land, and there he wasted all his money on wild living. 14About the time his money ran out, a great famine swept over the land, and he began to starve. 15He persuaded a local farmer to hire him to feed his pigs. 16The boy became so hungry that even the pods he was feeding the pigs looked good to him. But no one gave him anything.
17“When he finally came to his senses, he said to himself, ‘At home even the hired men have food enough to spare, and here I am, dying of hunger! 18I will go home to my father and say, “Father, I have sinned against both heaven and you, 19and I am no longer worthy of being called your son. Please take me on as a hired man.”’
20“So he returned home to his father. And while he was still a long distance away, his father saw him coming. Filled with love and compassion, he ran to his son, embraced him, and kissed him. 21His son said to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against both heaven and you, and I am no longer worthy of being called your son.’
22“But his father said to the servants, ‘Quick! Bring the finest robe in the house and put it on him. Get a ring for his finger, and sandals for his feet. 23And kill the calf we have been fattening in the pen. We must celebrate with a feast, 24for this son of mine was dead and has now returned to life. He was lost, but now he is found.’ So the party began.
25“Meanwhile, the older son was in the fields working. When he returned home, he heard music and dancing in the house, 26and he asked one of the servants what was going on. 27‘Your brother is back,’ he was told, ‘and your father has killed the calf we were fattening and has prepared a great feast. We are celebrating because of his safe return.’
28“The older brother was angry and wouldn’t go in. His father came out and begged him, 29but he replied, ‘All these years I’ve worked hard for you and never once refused to do a single thing you told me to. And in all that time you never gave me even one young goat for a feast with my friends. 30Yet when this son of yours comes back after squandering your money on prostitutes, you celebrate by killing the finest calf we have.’
31“His father said to him, ‘Look, dear son, you and I are very close, and everything I have is yours. 32We 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!’”
Reflecting on God’s Word
When have you sensed God’s love and compassion coming to you, when you were “a long distance” away from Him?
A Deeper Exploration of God’s Word
What caused the young man to come to his senses?
What was the son’s plan?
Understanding God’s Purpose for Us
What does Luke 11:17-21 tell us about God’s purpose for our lives?
Applying God’s Word to Our Purpose
The younger son finally came to his senses and recognized that even though he was incredibly far from home, that his father’s home was a place of welcome and generosity. What are the practical applications of this Scripture for our relationship with God and for our relationship with others---particularly those who are “prodigal”? Write thoughts and reflections below:
Thoughts—“He Came To His Senses…”
Amazing how an empty stomach and a lack of meaningful relationships will clear one’s mind! The younger son was at the lowest point of his life. After living as if there was no tomorrow, wasting all his father’s hard-earned wealth on “wild living,” the young man found himself penniless, and hungry. He was feeding pigs—an absolute insult for any Jew. In that situation he came to his senses. The Greek text says, “he came to himself.” Thank God for putting with in us an internal compass that points us “home” to Him, when we have gone far astray. The younger son recognized that his father was a generous man, who provided well for his servants, so since he had given up any rights he had to being part of the family, he would ask his father if he could be a servant. The young man’s humility came largely from his circumstances, but in his heart he also recognized that being a servant in his father’s household was better than being “free” in his current situation. For us being a servant in God’s household is always better than being “free” in the world. The world’s “freedom” always leads us into bondage to sin, which leads to death, but “servanthood” in the Lord, is the only way to true freedom!
As we go about this day, may we recognize the bounty of the Father, and live boldly as His children and servants, to God’s glory and the advance of His Kingdom!