Riches Restored
In the parable of the Lost Son, Jesus teaches of a man with two sons. He divided equally each one's share of his estate, withholding nothing from them. Having been equipped with all he needed for a prosperous and victorious life, the youngest son soon set off on his own. Venturing out in his own strength, he managed to squander everything he had been given, wasting it all on wild living. Once it was all gone, there was a famine in the land and he was in need. By this time, desperation had set in, and he hired himself out to a citizen of the country to feed his pigs. Scripture said "he longed to fill his stomach with the pods that the pigs were eating, but no one gave him anything..." He'd been given everything he needed, and abundantly, by his father who loved him. Yet, he wasted it all.
Face to face with his shame and guilt, he had a choice. He could continue to perish in the suffocating circumstances that were a result of his wandering, or he could run to his father, the one who once gave him all that he needed and seek his forgiveness, knowing then that he'd at least have a chance at life. He had no way of knowing for sure how he would be received, but I can imagine he knew the character of his father well, and expected that grace would meet him in the midst of surrender.
Surrender. Painful, costly surrender. He saw himself for what he was. Face to face with the shame and guilt of his sin, he set out to return to his father, unworthy, yet prompted by grace. Knowing his father's servants had all they needed, and plenty to spare, he would ask not for his fortune, but simply his forgiveness and an opportunity to work and earn a small portion of what he'd so thoughtlessly spent on his own temporary pleasures.
Scripture tells us that while he was still a long way off, his father saw him coming home. As a parent, I can imagine he'd been waiting, expecting the day would come when his son would return home to his provider, hungry and longing to be filled. Watching, anticipating the day when his son would return to him, and relish in all that was his. As the son moved toward the father, the father ran to his son, threw his arms around him, kissed him and welcomed him home. He didn't watch from a distance, he didn't delay. Running, he met him where he was, in the middle of his mess, and pulled him into his embrace. Pride and feelings of unworthiness surely enveloped this young man, as he cried, "Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son." As he surrendered his pride and wrongdoing unto his father, he received grace, upon grace, upon grace. All his former riches were immediately restored, clothing, food, jewels, dignity, love and honor. "Let's have a feast and celebrate. For this son of mine was dead, and is alive again, he was lost and is found, and so they began to celebrate..." It cost him nothing. Just surrender. Painful, healing, life-giving surrender. No gift was withheld from him, no measure of grace escaped him.
Just like the lost son, sometimes we find ourselves having wandered. We've been freely given so much, and yet sometimes it seems we've squandered it all. We step outside of our freedom, we don't claim the victory that is ours, we don't tap into the strength we are equipped with, and we find ourselves in the midst of a famine-- hungry, longing to be filled. We come face to face with who we are without our Father. We acknowledge our sin for what it is, we hurt for the love we've forsaken. This is where desperation meets surrender, where we recognize the depth of our unworthiness. In those moments, we are faced with a choice that will change the entire trajectory of our future. May we run to the Father, hearts postured in repentance, surrendering our guilt and shame, our wrongdoings and allowing ourselves to be found in His mercy as He reaches out for us. Meeting us in the middle of our mess, and pulling us into his loving embrace. He's been waiting, watching, anticipating our return. Surrender. Painful, healing, life-giving surrender. Grace, upon grace, upon grace. Our former riches restored. Freedom. Victory. Freely given, costing us nothing.
Return to your Father. Surrender your mess. Reclaim your riches. Let Him bring you to life again. Walking in freedom, living in Victory is always worth the pain of the surrender.
Face to face with his shame and guilt, he had a choice. He could continue to perish in the suffocating circumstances that were a result of his wandering, or he could run to his father, the one who once gave him all that he needed and seek his forgiveness, knowing then that he'd at least have a chance at life. He had no way of knowing for sure how he would be received, but I can imagine he knew the character of his father well, and expected that grace would meet him in the midst of surrender.
Surrender. Painful, costly surrender. He saw himself for what he was. Face to face with the shame and guilt of his sin, he set out to return to his father, unworthy, yet prompted by grace. Knowing his father's servants had all they needed, and plenty to spare, he would ask not for his fortune, but simply his forgiveness and an opportunity to work and earn a small portion of what he'd so thoughtlessly spent on his own temporary pleasures.
Scripture tells us that while he was still a long way off, his father saw him coming home. As a parent, I can imagine he'd been waiting, expecting the day would come when his son would return home to his provider, hungry and longing to be filled. Watching, anticipating the day when his son would return to him, and relish in all that was his. As the son moved toward the father, the father ran to his son, threw his arms around him, kissed him and welcomed him home. He didn't watch from a distance, he didn't delay. Running, he met him where he was, in the middle of his mess, and pulled him into his embrace. Pride and feelings of unworthiness surely enveloped this young man, as he cried, "Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son." As he surrendered his pride and wrongdoing unto his father, he received grace, upon grace, upon grace. All his former riches were immediately restored, clothing, food, jewels, dignity, love and honor. "Let's have a feast and celebrate. For this son of mine was dead, and is alive again, he was lost and is found, and so they began to celebrate..." It cost him nothing. Just surrender. Painful, healing, life-giving surrender. No gift was withheld from him, no measure of grace escaped him.
Just like the lost son, sometimes we find ourselves having wandered. We've been freely given so much, and yet sometimes it seems we've squandered it all. We step outside of our freedom, we don't claim the victory that is ours, we don't tap into the strength we are equipped with, and we find ourselves in the midst of a famine-- hungry, longing to be filled. We come face to face with who we are without our Father. We acknowledge our sin for what it is, we hurt for the love we've forsaken. This is where desperation meets surrender, where we recognize the depth of our unworthiness. In those moments, we are faced with a choice that will change the entire trajectory of our future. May we run to the Father, hearts postured in repentance, surrendering our guilt and shame, our wrongdoings and allowing ourselves to be found in His mercy as He reaches out for us. Meeting us in the middle of our mess, and pulling us into his loving embrace. He's been waiting, watching, anticipating our return. Surrender. Painful, healing, life-giving surrender. Grace, upon grace, upon grace. Our former riches restored. Freedom. Victory. Freely given, costing us nothing.
Return to your Father. Surrender your mess. Reclaim your riches. Let Him bring you to life again. Walking in freedom, living in Victory is always worth the pain of the surrender.
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