After running a few errands for his parents, a little boy went
to his father and said, “I know why you and mummy had me.” “Why?” asked his
father. “So that you guys would have someone to run errands for you!” exclaimed
the boy.
Like the little boy, do you see God as a Father who demands
obedience and service from you? Have you ever felt that unless you obey Him and
keep all His commandments, you don’t have a right to be blessed by Him?
Jesus shared the story of the prodigal son to show how some of
us call God “Father” and yet don’t know His heart. There are two sons in this
parable. We know what happened to the prodigal son, but we can also learn
something about the older son. This is what he said to his father when he discovered
that his father had thrown a party to celebrate the return of his
irresponsible, spendthrift brother: “Lo, these many years I have been serving
you; I never transgressed your commandment at any time; and yet you never gave
me a young goat, that I might make merry with my friends” (Luke 15:29).
Now, this son believed that his father had brought him into the
world to serve him. He saw his father as someone issuing commandments to him
all the time. And he saw himself as someone who had to obey those commandments
to enjoy his inheritance. But the truth is that the father had already given
him his inheritance (see Luke 15:12). The father even reminded him lovingly:
“Son…all that I have is yours.” And I am sure that that inheritance included
more than one goat!
Have you, like the older son, failed to understand your Father’s heart? Your heavenly Father already gave you a rich inheritance in Christ when you became His son. He wants you to know that you have received the Spirit of sonship (see Romans 8:15). So call out to Him, “Abba, Father!” and know how much He loves you. Because you are His heir, all that He has is yours to enjoy today! (Article & Picture; courtesy of Joseph Prince Ministries used with kind permission).
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