Once Upon a Time there lived an older brother
who did what was right.
Once Upon a Time there lived a younger brother
who did not do what was right.
Once Upon a Time the little brother
ran away from home and became a
PRODIGAL~
"squandered his property in reckless living" (Luke 15:13)
Once Upon a Time
the PRODIGAL had enough of being a PRODIGAL
and was greeted by his father as he returned home
and was celebrated immediately~
"Bring quickly the best robe, and put it on him, and put a ring on his hand, and shoes on his feet. And bring the fattened calf and kill it, and let us eat and celebrate.
For this my son was dead, and is alive again;
he was lost, and is found. And they began to celebrate" (Luke 15:22-24)
Once Upon a time there lived an older brother
who became angry that his little brother
was being celebrated
after all that he did wrong.
"What about me", shouts the big brother.
"I follow all the rules. I didn't run away from home. I stood by your side.
Don't you see me? Don't you hear me?
What about me?"
Oh the FATHER gently turns to him
and stares into his eyes
speaking with such compassion & love
because that is who
THE FATHER IS~
"‘Son, you are always with me, and all that is mine is yours" (Luke 15:31)
Who is the PRODIGAL now?
Lost. Confused. Alone.
Don't you see? Don't you hear?
One was lost and then found his way home.
The other one was found and was home, yet was living lost
because he was still waiting to be celebrated
even though he already was
and will be always~
"Yet to all who did receive HIM, to those who believed in HIS name,
HE gave the right to become children of GOD" (John 1:12).
The older brother~
Accepted & Significant & Secure
yet not living as FOUND.
Isn't that what we should be celebrating always
because
GOD will forever be celebrating
the FOUND~
"I give them life that lasts forever. They will never be punished.
No one is able to take them out of MY hand" (John 10:28).
Singed. Sealed. Delivered.
The younger brother & the older brother
now united as brother's IN CHRIST.
But now it us up to them
and up to us~
all who are IN CHRIST~
to LIVE AS FOUND,
as
PRODIGALS
in a foreign land
living
out the other definition of a
PRODIGAL~
Enthusiastic
Exuberant
Extreme
&
Excessively
living
Joyously Unrestrained
celebrating
our FOUND identity
that lasts beyond this life time
because
this lifetime is just a lifetime
that will end in the here and now.
But
because eternity is much longer than a lifetime
now is the time
to live JOYFULLY
going against the current of the world
as we are sojourners
just passing through
HOMEWARD BOUND IN HIM.
So let's celebrate
Enthusiastically
Exuberantly
Extremely
&
Excessively
Joyously Unrestrained
as
A PRODIGAL
for being FOUND is
"WHAT MERCY DID FOR ME"
(listen to the song below)