Know and Realize

“”And he said to him ,’Son, you are always with me, and all that I have is yours.”

Luke 15 : 31 (New King James Version)

The passage from Luke 15: 11-32 is about the parable of the Lost Son. There was a certain man who had two sons. And the younger of them asked his father to divide their inheritance and give him his due portion . Soon after that was done, the youngest soon gathered all his goods and journeyed to a far country and there he wasted all his possessions with prodigal (wasteful) living. Soon there arose a famine in that land and he began to be in want . Then he went and joined himself to a citizen in that country and used to feed the swine in the fields. He was so hungry that he would have gladly filled his stomach with the pods that were being fed to the swine.

We read in verses 17-18 he says , “”But when he came to himself, he said, ’How many of my father’s hired servants have bread enough and to spare, and I will perish with hunger! ‘ I will arise and go to my father, and I will say to him, “Father I have sinned against heaven and before you, “and I am no longer worthy to be called your son. Make me like one of your hired servants.”’” If we walk away from the Lord, true enough the devil will pounce and blind us ! This son was so blinded that he did not realize the error of his ways until he had been reduced to a state of desiring to eat the pods given to swine because of hunger. If any of us have strayed away from God and are blinded by the devil I pray that our eyes will be opened to see the error of our ways. The youngest son knew he had sinned, he repented and he knew one thing … he could go to back to his father and humble himself in the presence of his father. We read that when the father saw his youngest son from afar he ran to him . The father ran to his son with compassion and open arms, because he knew that his son had come back a changed man… his son had a heart that repented. That’s exactly how our Lord is… He is so merciful and compassionate that He will carry us in His arms and will protect us and take care of us.. all He is looking for is a heart that has repented and is now open to His ways.

The father also had another son. Now when he came towards the house he heard all the excitement and the music and the dancing and was wondering what was happening. Then a servant told him that his younger brother had returned and his father had killed the fatted calf in celebration. Now this really made the older son angry and he refused to step in. So the father comes out and pleads with him. Now the older son says that he has been loyal all these years to him yet his father never gave him a goat .

This is so wonderful… the father says “‘Son, you are always with me, and all that I have is yours” . How many of us are like the older son ? We don’t even realize that all what the father has is ours ! We have been living our lives in comparison with others and have not set our focus on Him . We are a royal priesthood ! We are ambassadors of Christ ! Does our life reflect that ? Does our attitude reflect that? Does every word that comes forth from our mouth reflect that ? Does our every heart’s desire reflect that ?

God Bless