Luke 15 spoke directly to my heart.
I am saved!
I was lost and now I am found!
I was dead and now alive again!
Since starting this journey 14 days ago, I am experiencing GOD as my father on a deeper level (moved from my 'head' to my heart).
This chapter highlighted this powerfully to me. I am the sheep, the coin, the son.
As reading this chapter, I was 'taken back' to some of the darkest periods of my life - but with a difference - I sensed that GOD was there, that I really was safe, regardless of the extent of the danger.
Thank you for showing this to me Father, and for sticking with me and hanging around even when I denied you.
What patience! What trust! What love!
How have YOU experienced GOD as your father?
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An eight week journey of seeking God as we read.think.pray.live our way through the gospel of John
An Invitation
Please join us during this lead up to Christmas 2009 by doing the four things listed below. Anyone can join at any time throughout this 8 week period although obviously it would be best if you can begin with us on the first of November 2009.
Requirements:
1. Commit to seeking God EVERY DAY in Nov & Dec '09 in a way that is more radical than anything you have ever done before.
2. Read.think.pray.live your way through the Gospel of John in seven weeks (3 chapters each week) and then 1 John, 2 John, 3 John in the final week.
3. Listen to the Holy Spirit and obey whatever he says to do!!
4. Contribute your insights and experiences to this blog.
May we all continue to seek the Kingdom of God before anything else!
Requirements:
1. Commit to seeking God EVERY DAY in Nov & Dec '09 in a way that is more radical than anything you have ever done before.
2. Read.think.pray.live your way through the Gospel of John in seven weeks (3 chapters each week) and then 1 John, 2 John, 3 John in the final week.
3. Listen to the Holy Spirit and obey whatever he says to do!!
4. Contribute your insights and experiences to this blog.
May we all continue to seek the Kingdom of God before anything else!
10 comments:
Thank Heaven for this Prodigal story! such hope for everyone!
Fresh thoughts were regards the older brother... and I found this comment on the verse: The difference between bitterness and joy is the capacity to forgive.
Bitterness, resentment, call it what you will - is rooted in unforgiveness. How much joy we miss out on because we are harbouring this rubbishy stuff!!
Have I experienced God as my father? To be totally honest I'm not really sure. I know he loves me unconditionally. Maybe if anything, I take this for granted. I suppose I feel like one of the 99sheep he has left in the open field... but I don't have a problem with that. My desire is to go out with him looking for the lost sheep.
Rosaleen, your comment is profoundly true. Living in forgiveness every day of our lives is absolutely vital and I don't think it can ever be stressed enough.
The other thing I noticed in each of these 3 parables is that not only were the lost "sought for" but they also respond by repenting: a total change of heart/mind. If the love of the Father is the catalyst, I reckon repentance is the key to allowing reconciliation to happen. The father will never "force" his love.
I know "repentance" is kind of an archaic word but it was John the Baptist's message and early in Luke 13 Jesus says twice that unless we repent we will perish. I reckon there is more to repenting than just "trying to stop sinning" - I reckon there is a whole change of mindset involved, a complete paradigm shift on life followed by "fruits" of this change.
I know this may not be the emphasis of this chapter but thought I would share this reflection anyway :)
I reckon there is more to repenting than just "trying to stop sinning"
Interesting comment, Andrew .... as I never thought that was what repentance was about particularly.
To me, repentance (as when I was Baptised by you and Anne) consisted of:
Acknowledging my past as sinful
Admitting my sins
Bringing them to the surface and speaking them out to a trusted person (Anne)
Loosing myself from them
Stating that I no longer want that life
Forgiving myself
Accepting GOD's forgiveness
What a slap in the face to GOD and my wonderful Church Family who accepted and loved me 'just as I was'! If I was to 'choose' that life again!
I am re-born and so a different person for me, 'trying to stop sinning hasn't come into it .... I just don't want to!
Mmm... Andrew and Gemma - the worst thing with writing things down in a blog is that you have no idea how people will interpret what you read, which words will leap out at them, what emphasis they will place where...
So here is my bit on repentance. Sometimes [in relation to repented things] - the mindset is changed miraculously - and the new direction is spontaneous and forever.
Sometimes though - there is a battle. You want to change - you know things are not in Gods will for you - but the radical shift in direction is a battleground at the steering wheel! Trying, testing times! You learn - about what real surrender to God is about, how much you need His word as a sword in your hand! The great thing is - because the intention of your heart is repentance, there is no condemnation for those who love Jesus! There is loving support, affirmation, encouragement.
Paul wrote about this sort of battle in Romans 7:17 onwards:
For if I know the law but still can't keep it, and if the power of sin within me keeps sabotaging my best intentions, I obviously need help! I realize that I don't have what it takes. I can will it, but I can't do it. I decide to do good, but I don't really do it; I decide not to do bad, but then I do it anyway. My decisions, such as they are, don't result in actions. Something has gone wrong deep within me and gets the better of me every time.
It happens so regularly that it's predictable. The moment I decide to do good, sin is there to trip me up. I truly delight in God's commands, but it's pretty obvious that not all of me joins in that delight. Parts of me covertly rebel, and just when I least expect it, they take charge.
I've tried everything and nothing helps. I'm at the end of my rope. Is there no one who can do anything for me? Isn't that the real question?
The answer, thank God, is that Jesus Christ can and does. He acted to set things right in this life of contradictions where I want to serve God with all my heart and mind, but am pulled by the influence of sin to do something totally different.
Absolutely Rosaleen - re interpretation.
That is why it is important to speak only for oneself when engaged in any group 'work' - be it on a blog or in person. So instead of the word 'you', I would encourage us to use 'I' or 'some people' as more appropriate choice of words.
Thanks Gemma and Rosaleen for your further reflections on repentance. Hopefully within a "community" of bloggers the interpretations can be blended and it all comes out OK in the wash :)
Sorry to hijack this post. I was happy for the focus to be on the Father's love for the lost but just wanted to share my few thoughts from the other side of the coin. Anyway, I'd better get to bed so I can read Luke 16 in preparation for tomorrow's blog post. Sleep well everyone :)
No hijacking apparent Andrew, not to me anyway!
Different passages will speak to diffrent people in different ways .... and we can all learn so much from each other's interpretations and insights.
Go the Blog! ;)
God Bless all of us as we continue to growth in faith together as brothers and sisters in Christ x
Goodnight all!
One other thought from this chapter: if we have the heart of God, ought we not be spending more time and energy looking to find and help the lost than we do hanging out with the ninety nine?
In a word .... YES!!
(in my humble opinion ;)
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