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Me-Maw Thoughts

Number 563

January 25, 2022///

Last week I wrote about God healing the scars and broken places of our lives. This week I am moved to share how God restores broken people!

As I was reading the story of the prodigal son in Luke this morning, I was moved once again by this story of redemption.

This is a familiar story to many of you and I have read and heard it multitudes of times but felt I must share the truths that hit me once again.

If you are not familiar with this there were two sons. The younger asks for his inheritance from his father and took off to fulfill the desires of the flesh!

The older son stayed and worked faithfully and diligently. But as we will see at the end, they both needed a revelation of the mercy and grace of the Father.

You can read the story in Luke 15: 11-32 but I want to zero in on the reception the younger son got when he returned to his father.

This rebellious son had wasted his money and reached rock bottom and then decided he would return and beg forgiveness and ask to be allowed to just be a servant.

May I tell you there are many who have to reach rock bottom or even the top of the success ladder to realize they cannot find fulfillment or even survive within themselves!

Let us look at the father! He was watching and saw the son coming home and ran to meet Him. When those who feel they have wasted everything return to the Heavenly Father, they find He is watching and longing for their return!

As the father embraced the son, he did not even listen to the sons cry of remorse and desire to be a just a servant. I want to zero in on what the father commanded be done for the son who was lost and is now found!

Luke 15:22-24 (KJV)
²² But the father said to his servants, Bring forth the best robe, and put it on him; and put a ring on his hand, and shoes on his feet:
²³ And bring hither the fatted calf, and kill it; and let us eat, and be merry:
²⁴ For this my son was dead, and is alive again; he was lost, and is found. And they began to be merry.

The robe represented the distinction of being part of the family!

The signet ring was a ring of family authority!

The sandals were worn by a son (in contrast to barefoot slaves)!

And a celebration was made to signify this awesome day!

May I tell you that your Heavenly Father seeks to restore His lost creation to their rightful place in His family.

He wants to put a robe of distinction around each of us and give us authority that the family of God has and place the Sandals of belonging to Him on our feet!

When the older son saw what a royal welcome the younger son received, he was angry and complained to his father that he had been faithful, and he had not received celebration like this.

The father explained that this son’s faithfulness was known, and blessings and rewards were his. He further told the older son that he could have a celebration with his friends at anytime he asked, but they must rejoice that the younger son had come back into the fold!

Both of these son’s received a revelation of Love! Which one are you or maybe you are somewhere in the middle?

Maybe you are at rock bottom and have no way to go but up! Maybe you are at the top but have no satisfaction because you are depending on your success to be your fulfillment. Or maybe you are faithful and living the best you can, depending on your goodness but have lost your joy!

As we see in the story, our Heavenly Father loves each of us beyond measure! He desires to restore the one who has reached rock bottom to the place in His family they were created for.

He desires to invade the heart of the one at the top, so they understand that true joy comes from walking in the Fathers love in all our success knowing it is because of His Blessings we have reached this level!

Or maybe you are Faithful to you Heavenly Father and diligently follow the rules but have lost the joy of celebrating life! The Father wants to restore your joy and show you that He loves you and sees your good, but it is His restoration in your attitude that will result in living in praise and victory!

We see such an example of God’s Love in this story and an example of how we should be!

The father showed: (1) Compassion (2) Deep affection (3) Celebration (4) and Joyful Restoration.

May we do the same!

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Father, thank you that you see each of us where and as we are, and you Love us too much to leave us that way.  Mold us and help us receive all your Blessings and restorations that you provide!  In Jesus name I pray! Amen

Love, MeMaw