A Little Bit in Each of Us

A little bit of prodigal in each of us.

Tonight I watched a quality film called A Long Way Off and it really touched me. It is the best movie make of the parable "The Prodigal Son" that I've ever seen. All of a sudden certain details that Jesus put in the story were more relatable. The prodigal character almost seemed like a role that could have been mine had I made different decisions in life. Actually a lot of different people beyond the typical "wild child" could play that role.

What type of profile comes to mind when you picture someone in your mind that you classify as a prodigal son/daughter? Maybe they left the church right out of high school or college? Maybe they left their family for a more promiscuous lifestyle? Or maybe they have chosen to make career number one instead of more fulfilling things.

Now look in the mirror and ask yourself how far off from being classified as a prodigal from God are you. What if all of your financial investments began to fail? What if you lost your job and received little to no severance? What if your ministry just started to fall apart? What if former addictions became hard to resist again? What if more than one of these things happened in a one month span!?

Would you take your all the blessings, memories, and knowledge of God and walk away from him? Would you grow weary of his lifestyle and seek something else more "satisfying?" Would the prayers trickle? The Bible seem less appealing? Or would you justify not having to respond to any of the Holy Spirit's urging because you got this?

Whatever you see, is most likely not going to be pretty and not going to be comfortable--but do take that time to look....

What do you see in your self that's pulling you away from God?

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photo credit: king of monks via photopin cc

Beggar by a Waterfall

For my devotions this morning, I captured this great passage from a lesson called "Friendship with the World."

When The Word often refers to His wandering children as prostitutes, it makes you wonder how to make that uneasy label go away:

"Grace is the only real solution to our plight. The proud, however, have placed themselves in a position where they can't easily receive that grace. Someone wrote that we get grace as do beggars holding out a tin cup before a waterfall. Only a person humble, meek, and aware of his or her utter need and dependency is open to grace, to the unmerited favor bestowed upon those who are in every way, unworthy." 

What a silly concept. Can you imagine a homeless person hiking up some hill to get to a waterfall and extend his arm to actually expect handouts? That would not happen! Yet, then there are those of us who have so much pride and selfishness eating away at our core, that we devise such plans as to how we will attain our grace. In our eyes we do not look foolish. In our eyes, that is the only way.

We scale hills and mountains in our lives for the sole purpose of achieving grace, forget love. "What's love got to do with it?" to borrow the famous lyrics. That's how we act when we are wandering away from Christ like a prostitute--a little that makes us shudder. For it is impossible for you to manipulate God into giving us grace for things that have become our idols; for characteristics that we refuse to give up. 

"'And she didn't care that she was acting like a prostitute. So she make her country unclean and was guilty of adultery, because she worshiped idols made of stone and wood. Israel's wicked sister didn't even come back to me with her whole heart, but only pretended,' says the Lord." Jer. 3:9-10

Each day is a new day. God takes us day by day for a reason, That reason is so that we don't have to feel so overwhelmed over how to change. We need to give things over to God step by step, day by day. Otherwise we will find ourselves looking foolish by a waterfall.

So, are you going seek God daily to help you change?

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A Birthday Wish from my Father

All I have is gratitude in my heart.

These past few months have been no joke. Easy was not a part of the recipe. Comfortable was not an ingredient. I have been broken, but PRAISE GOD that He restores!

What does it take to break Shana? Poverty? Taking my entire family away? Taking all that I love? Breaking my body? Funny, that didn't work for Job? So, clearly that's not a full-proof plan. I am no Job, but will all that I went through there is nothing that Satan can do that God can't turn for His good.

"You intended to harm me, but God intended it for good to accomplish what is now being done, the saving of many lives." Genesis 50:20

"And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been according to his purpose." Romans 8:28

Despite the fact that my trials are continuing, He has blessed me with a new year of live. November 17th marked the renewing of my life and an extension of my time here.

What comes next? God fulfilling His will in my life. And that promise is my happy birthday from my Father.

It's turning around for me!

Do you truly believe that things can turn around? photo credit: PetitPlat - Stephanie Kilgast via photopin cc