In the churches of my youth, the story of the two sons, recorded in Luke 15:11-32, was used as a warning against “loose” living, hence it was referred to as the story of the Prodigal Son.

The highlight of the story for me is that the loving father is waiting at the crossroad to greet the prodigal when he decides to return. Rather than condemnation, the prodigal is greeted with an embrace, wrapped up in the arms of the father.

The thought that comes to me this morning is that the older brother needed that embrace just as much as the prodigal. The older brother, who felt superior to his brother because of his continued service, showed that he did not understand the father’s intent for both of his sons.

God, as represented by the father in the story, is focused on restoring the relationship with us. That hug, that embrace, those tears, and the warm greeting by the father is what we all need.

The prodigal accepted the grace of that embrace, and we can suppose that he lived the rest of his days reminded of the gift he had been given.

We can hope that at some point, the unforgiving older brother also came to realize his need of grace and took steps to experience the father’s love. We can hope that once he experienced the father’s love, he extended the grace of the father to his younger brother.

Both sons needed grace. Not only the son who ran away from his responsibility and flagrantly violated his father’s expectations but also the one who outwardly kept the rules but not from a grateful heart.

Thankfully, the embrace is available to both sons.

Whether we are more like the older brother and look with judgment on others, or if we are like the younger who made obviously bad choices, the ebrace is waiting.

We only need to walk into it.

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Two thousand years ago people understood the natural cause of human birth and the timing of the process. They had the ability to count off nine months in whatever language they spoke.

I’m thinking of this after reading the narrative of Jesus’ birth in the Gospel of Matthew.

By agreeing to marry Mary, knowing that she was already pregnant, Joseph signed up for a lifetime of suspicion and gossip surrounding Jesus’ birth. Joseph chose to obey God despite the probable damage to his reputation.

In a small town, rumors about Jospeh and Mary were bound to be whispered by the town gossips. We get a hint about this in John 8:19 when the Pharisees asked Jesus, “where is your father?” It seems likely that they were implying that Jesus’ conception was illigitimate.

I am both challenged and encouraged by this line of thought.

I’m challenged because there are times when I have been silent when I should have spoken. There are times when I have made compromises when I should have stood firm. I haven’t always obeyed.

But I am also encouraged that (as I stated in my previous post) when we obey, God sees and will use that obedience for his glory and our good.

By signing up to be the protector of Mary and Jesus, Joseph played an important role in God’s plan for humanity. While our role is likely not as “large” as Joseph’s, God can and will use our obedience to bring about his plan for humanity.

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Pride is a sin which I can so easily spot in others and too seldom recognize in myself. Or, at least in the moment when I am responding in pride, I fail to check myself and choose humility instead. It is my suspicion, based on my observation of others, that I am not alone in this struggle.

This thought is prompted by reading Andrew Murray’s excellent book entitled Humility. In Chapter 2 of that book, Murray lists the following behaviors as being rooted in pride:

• Lack of love
• Indifference to the needs, feelings, and weaknesses of others
• Sharp and hasty judgments and utterances
• Manifestations of temper and touchiness and irritation (not using the excuse of being outright and honest)
• Feelings of bitterness and estrangement

In fact, when one considers how deeply pride infects our sense of self and how we function, we can see that pride is the primary thing that prevents us from fully satisfying the two great commands to love God fully, and love our neighbor as ourselves.

The antidote to this pride is humility. I cannot in good conscience tell you that I’ve made much progress in fostering humility in myself, but I can say that the starting point for developing this trait is to acknowledge complete and utter dependence upon God as its source. I suspect that full submission to God is the antidote to pride.

I wonder how outsiders would respond to the church if their first impression was that the church is about humility and service to others. Too often, this is not the impression given by Christians to non believers, myself included.

God, grant us the ability to see where pride is inhibiting our relationship with you and with others. Grant us the ability to repent, receive your forgiveness, and live in humble submission to your will.

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As I watch the sunrise from Ventnor pier, I am reminded that God has not promised me a trouble-free day.

So as I begin this day, I thought the following prayer might be appropriate.

My Father in Heaven,

Today I may get really bad news or face a real tragedy. You never promised that life will be easy. In fact, Jesus promised that in this world I will have trouble.

Today I will certainly be confronted by events that are contrary to my wishes. If nothing else, I am living proof of Paul’s statement that the outer man is fading. As I heard someone say, “The older I get, the better I was.”

I am also aware that my thoughts and motivations are not yet fully in line with your two great commands to love you with my entire being and love my neighbor as myself.

Yet I know that I have much for which I should be, and try to be, grateful. 

I was able to walk to the ocean and watch the sunrise this morning. I have never unwillingly missed a meal. I’m laughing as I watch the sandpipers scurry in the surf. These are some of the physical blessings for which I am grateful. 

Better than these are the spiritual blessings you give me.

Paul tells me that I have every spiritual blessing in the heavenlies at my disposal. Yet I feel like I have barely begun to understand the implications of this.

Thank you for calling me into relationship with you through Jesus Christ.

I ask two things of you this morning. 

Give me greater vision to see the multitude of blessings you will bring my way today.

Grant me the ability to accept the hard things without complaining in the full knowledge that you will use them for my good and your glory.

Amen.

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