Wednesday, October 17, 2012

You Are No Prodigal! (So Stop Spending Yourself!)

"And when he came to himself, he said, How many hired servants of my father's have bread enough and to spare, and I perish with hunger!

"I will arise and go to my father, and will say unto him, Father, I have sinned against heaven, and before thee," (Luke 15: 17-18)

When the Prodigal Son "came to himself," when he remembered who he is, he set out to return to his father.

He must have assumed that his Father was a compassionate man, one who would tolerate his son's return and permit him to serve as a servant. Under Old Testament law, all rebellious children would be stoned to death for their impudence (Deuteronomy 12: 18-21).

Beloved, at times in our life we may feel that we have strayed far from God. Yet for us, we have a certain standing better than even the Prodigal Son:

"Herein is our love made perfect, that we may have boldness in the day of judgment: because as he is, so are we in this world." (1 John 4: 17)

Not only can we claim by faith that we are like Jesus, having received our righteous standing in Him (2 Corinthians 5: 21) and the adoption of sonship through Him (Romans 8: 15; Ephesians 1: 5), but we can even face the most severe of trials, whether of our own making or a matter of circumstance:

"Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need." (Hebrews 4: 16)

We do not have to struggle to spend ourselves to the bitter end, either, as we have already received an inexhaustible supply in Christ:

"Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ:" (Ephesians 1: 3)

If you feel lost, desolate, just remember who you are, and come boldly to your Father God, who has sworn that He will never leave us nor forsake us (Hebrews 13: 5)

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