My brother for life (Sort of)

This morning I asked God to show me a new insight or revelation from Luke 15:11-32, the prodigal son story.

When you read your Bible, I encourage you to daily ask God to give you fresh insights.
We can become old wine skins and read a scripture or two with jaded eyes (Oh, I know this story not much new material to digest here).

We are wrong to approach God's Word in this nonchalant fashion.

God WANTS to speak to us, but are we really listening? Sometimes yes, sometimes no.

I love the imagery of the Father, the lost prodigal son and the son who remained at his father's home.

A familiar story yes, but new insights are always there, if only we allow the Holy Spirit to break new ground.

Luke 15:14 said the son began to be "in want."
He had money but that dried up. He had friends, but they left. He ate the best meals, but now he's left with heart burn. There is a famine in the land. Here in America, we are so blessed we do not understand this. However, we do understand famine of faith. People are bent over with anxiety, depression and panic attacks. The suicide rates are off the charts. Kids are bullied and kill themselves. I have no words.
In fact today April 20, marks another annivesary of the Columbine high school shooting.
Famine.
Does it exist?
Of course.
There are famines of food, crops, medicine and famine of faith, famine of purpose and meaning in life.
Famine for the living bread- Jesus Messiah, the manna which comes from heaven...

Finally the prodigal son comes to his place of "want." He hits rock bottom and misses home.
This is a great reminder to moms and dads about planting seeds of faith in the soil of our kids' hearts. They may make fooloish decisions in life...but the Word does not come back void. We pray kids become home sick, longing for the bread, the Jesus they crave.

Luke 15:29
The brother who remained was angry and said
"I have been serving you"
"I never transgressed you and yet you never gave me..."
"you never gave me a young goat, that I might make merry with my friends"

And there it is...

Selfish pride.

I never noticed this before and I praise Yahweh for revealing it.

"I have"
"I never"
"you never gave me"
"My friends"

Me, myself and I.

The false trinity.

This brother had a problem with his father's decision to bless the "naughty" son and ignore the son who was on the "nice" list for so many years, maybe even decades.

Oh my son my son.

I can hear the father's soft tenderness in His voice.

This son always had the father.
Just like us, we may not "get" our prayers answered in the way we hoped, but we got God. We spent time alone with Him. He grew us, deepened us, stripped us of self dependence and made us utterly co-dependent on our Abba.
That's enough.

The other son wanted the blessings- the stuff.
Having a deep intimate relationship with his dad wasn't enough, he wanted to "one-up" his naughty brother and show that he was really the one deserving of honor.

He is so upset he calls the prodigal son
"Your son"
Wait just a minute.
Isn't this his brother?
His bro?
The one that played with him, joked with him, comforted him?
They had years together, history together, shared good times and bad together...
But now, he throws him under the bus.
How sad.

Selfish pride can break up families...
Selfish pride can break up marriages...
Selfish pride can break up friendships...
Selfish pride can break the heart of God...

Along with selfish pride the other brother had an ungrateful heart.
The angels are rejoicing in heaven because the brother who once was lost, now is found, he once was dead but now is alive...
All this brother can do is sulk because "I never had a party like THAT before!"

I know this story is very hard to digest.
Why?
We grow up loving O's and A's.
We love honor rolls and bonus checks.
We love to post on instagram about how our marriage is thriving, but no one is sharing how this is the 3rd marriage and it is barely hanging on a thread.

We check the box, we go to church, "Hello God. Nice to see you, here's my tithe, see you later."

Then we pout when the new, only saved 3 years man is promoted at church. Hey! That's not fair God. That brother hasn't put in the time here as I have!

I have heard that before and I know God does not smile on that heart-itude.

Lord, we love you so. We praise you when an individual turns from darkness to light. Whether a person is a prodigal someone who once knew you and now recommits, or who is a new believer, we rejoice in that saving power. However, sometimes God we can see ourselves in the prodigal brother's selfish, prideful and even arrogant stance. We want things from you God, instead of simply wanting You. We think we deserve things. We deserve death and eternal punishment. Thank you for your saving power over even the type A check the box people who can stop once in awhile and realize selfish pride has crept in and a soul cleansing is needed. Lord you are faithful even when we doubt you, get angry at you and pout like toddlers. Thank you Jesus that you see our hearts and you desire to purge us and change us and mold us into the image of Christ- the selfless one. The one who bled and died. Thank you Father for the fresh insights you reveal as we daily and often steep our selves in your Holy Word. Make us new. In Jesus Name Amen