Tag Archive for Prodigal Son

Picture This

2017-03-13 Devotional with Hymn No comments

Picture this:

A poor widow generously gives her last two meager coins,
all that she has to live on.

A father is horribly mistreated by His wayward son.
But when the son finally comes home, penniless and half-starved,
the father runs to him and
joyfully smothers him with love and gifts and forgiveness.

The King of All Kings makes Himself a poor, powerless peasant.
He lives homeless and without a family
so that all the people can be His family.
He feeds and heals and teaches everyone who comes to Him.
He frees those tormented by demons and
raises the dead.

Finally, He gives Himself as the full and final sacrifice for all their sins.
To celebrate their deliverance, He makes Himself their feast:
His own body becomes the bread broken for them.
His own blood becomes the wine poured out for them.

All these are living portraits of
the glorious love of
our glorious God,
drawn by the life and death of His only Son,
Jesus Christ.

Listen and sing:
Hymn: Pictures of God’s Love
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Love Is Not Blind

2016-02-21 Devotional with Hymn No comments

“While the prodigal was a long way off, his father saw him and was filled with compassion for him; he ran to his son, threw his arms around him and kissed him. 

“The son said to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son.’ 

“But the father said to his servants, ‘Quick! Bring the best robe and put it on him. Put a ring on his finger and sandals on his feet. Bring the fattened calf and kill it. Let’s have a feast and celebrate. For this son of mine was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.’” (Luke 15:20-24, NIV)

Love is not blind.
Love sees what no one else sees.
Others see sin and ugliness.
Love sees one unspeakably precious.
Love sees its treasure,
its child.

Your Father calls you to share His love,
to live the same love that
reached out and drew you in.
Your Father calls you to
share His heart.

Listen and sing:
Hymn: Our Father’s Burning Heart
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Letter from a Concerned Father

2013-02-24 Devotional with Hymn, Evangelistic No comments

My Dear Child,

Since before you were born, I’ve loved you.

You were my delight, my pride and joy. I would sit and watch you and smile and laugh. I looked forward to being with you. I enjoyed you so much. I just could not do enough for you.

I cared for you day and night. You were always on my mind and on my heart. When you were sick, I felt your pain and nursed you back to health. When you fell, I would lift you in my arms and hug you and gently kiss you.

But the more I loved you, the more you resisted my love. The more I cared for you, the more you resented me. The more I did for you, the less you trusted me.

I taught you to walk, and you chose to walk away from me. I shaped your young mind. I carefully fed it and nurtured it. But you became proud, and in your youthful ignorance you found me foolish and old-fashioned.

You took everything I gave you and turned it against me.

But still I loved you and did all I could to help you. I saw trouble coming. I tried to warn you–sometimes gently, sometimes in desperation, as shouting to one standing in front of an oncoming truck: “Look out! Get out of the way!” But you took my warnings as intrusions, as selfish attempts to “run your life.”

The trouble came–the incredible hurt, the destruction, the shattered relationships. Believe me, being right brought me no joy. I suffered it all with you.

I still see trouble coming. But I can’t help you…not unless you let me…not unless you help yourself.

A parent’s grief for a lost child has no comfort, no consolation, except one. It’s hope–hope that the child will somehow just come back.

Come back, child.

Please, come back.

Love forever,
God, Your Father

(based on Hosea 11:1-11)

Listen…and sing if you want:
A Father’s Love
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