Wednesday, August 11, 2010

A LOST CAUSE!

How often we think someone or something is 'lost' to us only to discover that the Lord has brought that person, object or situation back into our life - restored.

Only eight days after my husband had a cardiac defibrillator implanted in his chest, it shocked him back to life. It was a bit high drama, but the device did what it needed to do. With the addition of some medication, we hope to avoid another 'shocking' event. Certain death and then, life restored!

The Lord restores. He doesn't deal with 'lost causes'.

*He restored our relationship with God by paying the price for our imperfections - John 3:16
*He restores faith - Hebrews 12:2
*He restores love - Romans 5:5

......just to name a few.....

One of the most well known parables in the Bible is the story of the 'Lost Son'. It is often referred to as 'The Parable of the Prodigal Son'. The word 'prodigal' means 'a person who wastes his means', or one who is 'exceedingly or recklessly wasteful'. Even those who are not believers or have studied the Bible seem to be familiar with this story. You'll find it in Luke 15, 11-32. Let me paraphrase.....

A man had two sons, the younger one asked for his share of the inheritance NOW. His father gave it to him and he took off and squandered the whole estate on 'wild living'. Then, this son falls on hard times, he has to go to work, there is a famine, he's literally starving! He feeds pigs and thinks that he'd be happy to eat their food. At this point he realizes that his life has taken a wrong turn, he's so miserable. He humbled himself, admitted his sin and went home to ask his father for forgiveness. And this is when his life changed - the day he went back to find his father.

The Scripture says in Ephesians 1:4 that "He choose us in Him before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless". Think this through - we were with God before the creation of the world! Doesn't it make sense then that we need to go back to our Father - be restored to Him - so our life here on earth can give us peace and produce joy? We won't find what we need anyplace else, or in anyone else. And, sooner or later we learn, the best things in life are not things!

Notice in vs. 20 of Luke 15, how this boy's father greeted him. After what he'd done and how he'd been living, this wasn't entirely a human reaction. This passage is a picture of our Heavenly Father greeting us and welcoming us back to Himself. This is how He'll respond to us when we come back to Him and ask for forgiveness. The father planned a big celebration, nothing too good for His son - why? Vs. 24 says that he was "dead and is alive again, he was lost and is found". It was hallelujah time!

The older brother who had done everything 'right' got mad. Why was his brother being celebrated, it was he who should be having a party! The father tells him in verses 31 - 32, that he has always been with Him and everything He has is his. But his brother, who had made a mess of his life was dead, lost, but now alive and found. That was reason to rejoice.

Do you suppose that God the Father is painting a picture of His relationship with His own son, Jesus? They are 'one', father and son. Even though the son, Jesus, was perfect in every way He experienced agony while in the garden at Gethsemane knowing that he would soon face a slow, painful death. In fact in Matthew 26: 38 Jesus said he was "overwhelmed with sorrow". He even asked that God the Father change His plan...."My Father, if it is possible, may this cup be taken from me". Jesus, the perfectly obedient one then said, "Yet not as I will, but as you will".

We are like the younger son who did it OUR WAY, maybe even 'rotten to the core' if we care to admit it. Possibly, just possibly, we've caused havoc and chaos, hurt and confusion in our life as well as in the lives of others. The Father waits patiently for us to come home and when He sees us coming, He doesn't rebuke us for being so stupid, He runs to greet us, throws His arms around us and kisses us! We know we are loved and forgiven.

Thank you Lord for greeting us with open arms when we come to you. Thank you for not condemning us...Romans 8:1 'There is no condemnation in Christ Jesus'.

I Corinthians 2:9

"No eye has seen,
no ear has heard,
no mind has conceived
what God has prepared for
those who love him"

Amen!