Luke 15: 11-32
We are all familiar with this story. The Prodigal Son. How do you feel after reading this story? My first response? "That is so not fair. Why should he get to take all of his share, not be responsible with it and come back and be forgiven so easily and given so much? It is not fair. The other brother has been working so hard helping his father and what does he get?" Sounds a little like bitterness does it not? But let's take a closer look at these verses and see if we can find some meaning to it. Something that makes us look at this story a little differently. You can see in verses 18 and19 that the son is very sorry for what he has done and does not feel that he deserves forgiveness from his father. Just as we do not deserve forgiveness from our Heavenly Father. His father has compssion and, by grace, accepted him home. Jesus does the same for us. Verses 25-32 are very profound for me. Let's take a look. The "good" son is upset that his father is so welcoming of his brother who has done these great sins that he has not. He just forgives him and throws a huge party for this lowly sinner. Do we sometimes look at others in this way? We are better because we do not sin like that person over there? How could God welcome a murderer into Heaven and have a party when they arrive? It is called GRACE; beautiful, wonderful, amazing grace. "As it is written, There is none righteous, no, not one." (Romans 3:10). God does not judge as we judge. If you have sinned at all, and I promise, you have :), then you are guilty. No special treatments because your sins are less than his, you are guilty! "For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God" (Romans 3:23). But there is a way out from under this cloak of sin. Step out from under this Cloak of Sin, ask God for forgiveness and ask Jesus into your heart and step under Jesus' Cloak of Grace and Forgiveness. "Being justified freely by His (God's) grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus: (Romans 3:24).
Thank you Lord for Your amazing grace, that makes me white as snow!!!!!!