The Father finding the Lost: Reflections on Luke 15

By: Mandy
I recently read Tim Keller's "Prodigal God" about the parable of the Lost Son in Luke 15, so some of this thought process might be gleaned from Keller. I have been thinking about the connection between the 3 parables of that chapter, that of the lost sheep, the lost coin, and the prodigal son (or as I would call it the parable of the lost sons).

The similarities are easy to spot. Things are lost, sought after, and then there's a party! First the shepherd leaves his 99 sheep to search for the one that is lost. The woman lights a lamp, sweeps the house, and "seeks diligently until she finds" the coin. Then we have the father of two sons. His younger son asks for his inheritance early, leaves home, and squanders all that his father has given him...he is lost. But here's what caught me off guard after having read this parable and heard it preached so many times: the father does not go after the son. He stays home. That's odd...not at all like the shepherd or the woman with the coin, and isn't a lost son much more valuable and therefore pursuant-worthy than a sheep or money? Isn't God (pictured here as the father) supposed to run after us? Why doesn't the father go to the pig pen and invite his son home?

Well, ok, he does run to embrace his son when he finally returns. He welcomes him home without a guilt trip and lavishes grace and celebration on his younger son. We have to give him credit for that right? But it still doesn't seem to fit very well with the other two parables. Unless, that is, if the younger son isn't the only one who is lost. Maybe the father is seeking to find another son as he stays home.

The elder son sulks in a mood of entitlement and self-righteousness. Although he has lived with his father everyday he is farther from his father than his brother was in the pig pen! As the party goes on and the fattened calf is cooked for the guests, the elder son pouts outside. Here's where the seeking happens: "His father came out and entreated him." The father is celebrating his son who has come home, guests are filling his house, everyone is happy...but he leaves all that to seek after the hardened selfish heart of his oldest son. We don't know the end of the story. Seemingly the older son stays lost, lost in his own bitterness.

God the Father is gracious to us to seek us and lavish grace-filled patience on us. I am very much the older son usually, sulking in my own entitlement. I give in order to be given to. I serve in order to be served. And all the while God patiently pursues me, comes out from celebration to consistently invite me in. Do I really want to stay outside? I hope I respond to God's grace with celebration, joy and gratitude. Praise God for His seeking after my heart!

Evil, Stubborn Heart: A Devotional Thought on Jeremiah 18:12 and 29:11

By:Mandy

My daily Bible reading today led me to Jeremiah 18. In this passage, God is showing the prophet how the people are like clay in His hands to be formed and re-formed however He chooses...and since He is the master potter, His way is best. While reading this I was reminded of probably the most quoted verse in all of Jeremiah: "For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans to prosper and not to harm you, plans for a hope and a future" (Jer 29:11).
"Well," I thought, "that is reassuring. I just needed that extra little reminder that in the midst of what seems like uncertainty and chaos to me is all planned out with love from God." Right, but then I got to 18:12, the people's reaction to the Lord's plan of sanctification and a call to repentance. They say "That [repenting, following God's way] is in vain! We will follow our own plans, and will every one act according to the stubbornness of his evil heart."
Honestly, I have never told God verbally that I think His way is vain and pointless and I would like nothing more than to follow my own evil and stubborn heart. But I knew as I read this that is what my heart says more often than not. God says to put our house on the market and I say "No! I'm comfortable here...we've got the baby's room all planned out, I like the paint colors here, I have worked so hard on my garden. You don't really want me to leave all this?" He asks me to submit to my servant-leader husband and I say "Let me complain and nag first! He doesn't know what he's asking of me. I'm pregnant and emotional...just let me have my own way!" He asks me to study His Word, to pray, to serve others sacrificially and I say "Why can't anyone serve me? I have too much to do. I need to rest. I deserve to do my own thing."
Funny how all these words start sounding a lot like what the Israelites said. The point is I believe 29:11 and yet echo 18:12 in my heart. My prayer is that I would truly and fully believe that God's plan is loving and right. My plan, when it breaks with God's commands and leading, may look better at first, but in reality is for my harm and NOT to prosper me or God's kingdom.

Hearts Wide Open: Devotional Thought from 2 Cor 6:11-13

By: Mandy
These verses caught my eye...and heart the other day. Paul, addressing the church at Corinth, says "We have spoken freely to you, Corinthians; our heart is wide open. You are not restricted by us, but you are restricted in your own affections. In return (I speak as to children) widen your hearts also."
Paul and his "ministry team" as it were have spent long hard hours and effort pouring themselves into the lives of the Corinthians. They have given time, money, service, and not to mention the letters of 1st and 2nd Corinthians! I wonder if the Corinthians were complaining much like us: "I could grow so much more if Paul was just more compassionate." "Why doesn't he preach as good as sermons as Apollos?" "I just can't get into the worship at this church...we need a new cymbal player like the Macedonians have."
I find myself comparing my preacher and church leaders to just about everyone else, especially the "famous" preachers and worship leaders. I put together pieces of so many different ministries and expect Christ Community Church of Kennesaw, GA to be the perfect image of my creation. I blame my lack of spiritual growth (or boredom at church, wandering thoughts, lack of motivation to serve, etc) on these "failings". I wonder if instead I may be just like the Corinthians, "restricted in [my] own affections." If I am not a conduit (note: not consumer only) of grace (see 6:1) then my heart is closed to be ministered to no matter how spectacular the sermon is, how empathetic the elders are, how profound the music is, or beautiful the church building.
I am like a Corinthian...I am like a child...I suspect many of us are. We need to open our hearts to what God is giving us through our church. This is the only way we can savor Jesus more fully and serve His people with His grace.