Daily Scripture Threshing for Saturday, July 27, 2024
Today’s Text: Luke 15:11-24
Key Verse: Luke 15:18 (ESV): "I will arise and go to my father, and I will say to him, “Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you."
Today's meditation is from a 3 loss set of parables told by Jesus to illustrate hunan will and God's love and forgiveness. The background to this is in the larger text of Luke 15, which contains the parables of lost sheep, lost coin and lost son. First, a shepherd loses one sheep out of a hundred and searches for it until it's found. A woman loses one of her ten silver coins and searches for it until it's found. And a father loses his son to reckless living, but the son returns, and the father forgives and welcomes him back. All 3 parables illustrate God's love and desire to seek out and save those who are lost. Seeking out the sheep and the coin, and welcoming the son are allegorical way to emphasize God's heart towards lost humanity.
There is one unique thing about the Parable of the Lost (Prodigal) Son that makes it stand out from the other two parables: His' is the only loss that involves a will and volition. Whereas all three entities became lost, but their experiences and responses to being lost differ greatly. The coin, being an inanimate object, has no will or volition. It simply exists and is subject to external forces, like gravity or chance. When lost, the coin has no capacity to seek its way back or make decisions about its situation. Though the sheep is a living being, its abilities are limited by its instincts and natural behaviors. When lost, the sheep may try to find its way back to its flock or a familiar environment, but its actions are largely driven by instinct rather than conscious decision-making.
Now, the man, as a human being, possesses a highly developed sense of will and volition. When lost, he can reflect on his situation, make conscious decisions, and take deliberate actions to find his way back, and ask for help. Jesus wants you and I to know that we have a much greater capacity for self-directed action and decision-making. Our will and volition enable us to respond to our lostness in a more intentional way. So, as the son made decisions both to arise and return, we too have the will to seek and restore our lost personal relationship with God. Regardless of your past mistakes and errors or your complex emotions of regret and shame, you still have an opportunity to make a choice. The parable is a rich image of our Heavenly Father's love for all of us His rebellion and sinful children, while the older son's resentment represents self righteousness.
Like the prodigal son returned having squandered his inheritance, realizing his mistakes and recognizing his unworthiness, we too must show humility and willingness to make amends. When we fail or make mistakes, we are called upon here to recognize our mistakes and acknowledge our unworthiness. And when we turn away from sin and towards God, He welcomes us back despite our failures. Do you personally feel unworthy and you're seeking forgiveness? You have the will power to rise from all doubts and shadows of your past, return to our father in heaven, and say to him, “Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you."
Action Steps: 1.) Reflect on past mistakes. 2.) Seek forgiveness from others or God. 3.) Make amends or restitution.
Quote for the Day: "God's forgiveness is not based on our worthiness, but on His love and mercy." (Simon Olatunji #quotablequote)
Prayer: Dear Heavenly Father, help me recognize my mistakes and seek forgiveness. Give me humility and courage to make amends, and thank You for Your love and mercy — in Jesus's most glorious name. Amen.
With all my love and prayers,
Rev Simon Wale Olatunji, Ph.D.
Your Darling Bishop (DaBishop)
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