Foundations Jan 13, 2011

Thursday, January 13, 2011
BIBLE IN A YEAR: Amos 7-9 and Revelation 7

SCRIPTURE READING

And the son said to him, ‘Father, I have sinned…and am no longer worthy to be called your
son.’ “But the father said…, ‘Bring out the best robe…, and put a ring on his hand ....And bring the fatted calf here and kill it, and let us eat and be merry; for this my son
was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.’ And they began to be merry. Luke
15:21-24 NKJV
 

These verses come from the Parable of the prodigal son. In this parable the youngest son
asked for his inheritance early, this son is basically rejecting his father; he doesn’t want to
spend his life living on the farm, working with his dad. The son goes to the city and blows
the money on parties, sex, drugs - he wasted it all. In verse 21, the son returns home and
repents.
Notice that upon repentance, the Father gives the son a robe, a ring and throws a big party.
The robe represents a position of honour, a status thing. The ring gives the son authority
to engage in business transactions of the household and farm. The party represents the
father rejoicing.
Jesus is calling us to feel the gladness of the Father in our hearts when we repent. Jesus
isn’t just telling a nice story here for the entertainment of His disciples. He is revealing how
the father feels when a son (believer) returns from a season of compromise. This parable
is about how the Father feels when he loses a son to compromise and the son returns
(repents).

PRAYER and MEDITATION

1. Ask God to show you how He has been merciful to you when you have repented. Ask
    Him to show you a specific time when upon repentance, He forgave and restored you.
2. Ask God to help you accept His forgiveness and restoration and to accept the gladness
    that He feels towards you when you repent.
3. Write a prayer to God, thanking Him for His gladness and that we can run to Him when
    we sin instead of hide from Him.