Who are you? The prodigal son? The older brother? The father?
Jesus continued: "There was a man who had two sons. The younger one said to his father, 'Father, give me my share of the estate.' So he divided his property between them.
"Not long after that, the younger son got together all he had, set off for a distant country and there squandered his wealth in wild living. After he had spent everything, there was a severe famine in that whole country, and he began to be in need. So he went and hired himself out to a citizen of that country, who sent him to his fields to feed pigs. He longed to fill his stomach with the pods that the pigs were eating, but no one gave him anything.
"When he came to his senses, he said, 'How many of my father's hired men have food to spare, and here I am starving to death! I will set out and go back to my father and say to him: Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son; make me like one of your hired men.' So he got up and went to his father. "But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and was filled with compassion for him; he ran to his son, threw his arms around him and kissed him.
"The son said to him, 'Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son.'
"But the father said to his servants, 'Quick! Bring the best robe and put it on him. Put a ring on his finger and sandals on his feet. Bring the fattened calf and kill it. Let's have a feast and celebrate. For this son of mine was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.' So they began to celebrate.
"Meanwhile, the older son was in the field. When he came near the house, he heard music and dancing. So he called one of the servants and asked him what was going on. 'Your brother has come,' he replied, 'and your father has killed the fattened calf because he has him back safe and sound.'
"The older brother became angry and refused to go in. So his father went out and pleaded with him. But he answered his father, 'Look! All these years I've been slaving for you and never disobeyed your orders. Yet you never gave me even a young goat so I could celebrate with my friends. But when this son of yours who has squandered your property with prostitutes comes home, you kill the fattened calf for him!'
" 'My son,' the father said, 'you are always with me, and everything I have is yours. But we had to celebrate and be glad, because this brother of yours was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.' " (Luke 15:11-32)
Today has been a testing day. It's been hard. I have had a hard time forgiving someone and remembering who I am in Him. I read one of my other friend's blogs (Carol Hobbs) - and although she was talking about something different, the truth written there resonated with me and I was able to relate it back to my situation. Here it is:
"Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ. . . to the praise of the glory of His grace, by which He made us accepted in the Beloved." Ephesians 1:3-6
I am accepted. I still don't know about the dreams. The desires. The plans. The future. But I am accepted. Jeremiah does quote God as saying, "I know the thoughts that I think toward you. . ." I surely don't know them, but God does. (Check out Jeremiah 29: 10-14 and note all the times God says, "I will. . . ".)
And so, I am comforted today knowing that God knows the thoughts He thinks toward me and to top it all off: I am accepted in the Beloved. That's my Jesus.
Here is the line I especially took courage from...
When all around my soul gives way, He then is all my hope and stay. On Christ, the solid rock I stand. . . all other ground is sinking sand."
I am a Handmaiden of the King. I am His Flower. I have been grafted in. I am His.
I hope you don't mind that I borrowed this, Carol!
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