Today we celebrate 100 episodes. Thank you to those of you who have been with us since day one. Even more importantly we want to celebrate God and His Father’s heart for each of us.
When we are religious it comes from a place of not knowing we are loved. I John 4:19 says, “We love because He first loved us.” As we receive His love we are able to pour out His love for others. If we are in a performance or works mentality we tend to judge ourselves and others by a legalistic standard which is not the heart of God.
Today we look at a couple of stories that celebrate the Father’s heart for all of us. They are found in Luke 15. The Pharisees are upset because Jesus is hanging out with sinners. Jesus responds by telling a story about a man who has 100 sheep. He loses one and the man leaves the 99 to go after the one. Jesus goes on to say, “There is more rejoicing in heaven over one sinner who repents than over 99 people who have no need of repentance.”
Our second story today is about a father who has two sons. It reveals the Father’s heart for both of them. The younger son takes his half of the inheritance and he goes off to a far away place and wastes it all on wild and loose living. And when he runs out of money he comes quickly to a place where he doesn’t even have food. As he is feeding hogs he realizes that their food looks good. That’s when he realizes the hired servants back home have it better than him so he heads home to see if his father will hire him.
The father sees him a long way off and runs to him, greets him, and kisses him. He says, “My son who was lost has come home. Let’s throw a party!” That’s God’s heart for us. He is predisposed to forgive us and show us His love. God celebrates you!!
That is also God’s heart for those who may have stayed home and followed the rules but their heart is still far from God. And that was the case for the older son. He is thinking he is earning the father’s love.
He hears the party and comes in says to his father, “I’ve been busting my gut and you have never thrown a party for me!” The older son stays in this place of legalistic frustration and lack of forgiveness. Why? Because he hasn’t received his father’s love and therefore he can’t give it to his brother.
God is love. He is for you. He believes in you. He champions you. He celebrates you.
This week ask the Holy Spirit, “Reveal a greater measure of the Father’s love for me. Show me how much Father loves me!”
