Good Morning Everyone,
Our theme for this month: “Effective prayer”
Our Bible verse for today: “But the father told his slaves, ‘Quick! Bring out the best robe and put it on him; put a ring on his finger and sandals on his feet. Then bring the fattened calf and slaughter it, and let’s celebrate with a feast, because this son of my mind was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found! So they began to celebrate.” Luke 15:22-24 (HCSB)
Our thought for today: “You bring God great joy.”
I want to return again this morning to the subject of how we think about God and about prayer, because our understanding of God and of prayer is such a crucial element when it comes to effective praying.
Have you ever read the parable of the Prodigal Son as told by Jesus and recorded by Luke in Luke 15:14-24? If you’re not familiar with the story then I encourage you to stop reading this for a moment and take a few minutes to read that passage.
In the story a wealthy father had two sons. The youngest one came to him and asked for his share of the family inheritance to be given to him so he could go exploring in foreign lands. In that culture his request would have been an unthinkable insult to his father. Normally the inheritance would not go to the son until the father was dead. The son should not even have been thinking of such a thing.
But rather than being insulted, the father complied with the request and gave the boy the money. The son then went off into distant lands and squandered his riches on wine, women, and song. Before long he found himself destitute, filthy, hungry, and living among another man’s pigs. Finally he came to his senses and decided to return to his father, fall at his feet and begging for mercy, and then offer to become one of his father’s slaves.
Do you remember from yesterday’s devotional when I cited John Eldredge’s lesson that when we come to God in prayer He does not see us as orphans begging for help, or even slaves bowing before a stern master? Instead we are dearly loved children coming to a kind and benevolent Father who takes great delight in us.
In the Parable of the Prodigal Son the returning son was acting like a begging orphan, or a disobedient slave seeking his master’s forgiveness. But the father in the story (intended by Jesus to be a picture of our Heavenly Father) acts just like a good, loving, compassionate, and merciful human father would if his wayward child suddenly returned to him contrite and asking for forgiveness. He was overflowing with joy, weeping in thanksgiving that His child had come back to Him, and ready to accept the boy back into the fold as the much-loved son that he is.
That’s your position before God the Father. Even if you have messed up; even if you have sinned greatly; He wants you back and He is overjoyed when you return to Him.
As you come to God in prayer don’t ever forget that it brings Him great joy to see you coming to Him and it brings Him even more joy to treat you like the much-loved child you are.
God Bless,
Pastor Jim
Oak Hill Baptist Church 