UNITED WITH JOY
Erin Kranz
Today's Scripture: “And he said to him, ‘Your brother has come, and your father has killed the fattened calf, because he has received him back safe and sound.’ But he was angry and refused to go in. His father came out and entreated him,” Luke 15: 27-28, ESV
Theme: Seek to have grace for all members of the family, just as God did for us when He offered salvation to all.
BIRTHDAY BLISS
We have three kids, and our older two boys are less than two years apart in age. It’s so fun to watch them play together because they’re into all the same things, watch all the same shows, and even share all the same toys. They really are best friends.
This comes to a head though for our middle child when it’s his brother’s birthday. Watching all the attention be on his brother sets something off with him, and he usually does minor silly things to act out or try to bring some of the attention back to himself. As a parent, it’s frustrating because I know all the blessings that my middle child has, and I want him to learn the joy of being happy for other people in their own victories, too.
SALVATION FOR ALL
Unfortunately, my five-year-old is not alone in this. There are a lot of lessons we can pull from this parable, but one of the earliest interpretations would have been God encouraging the Jews to welcome everyone into His Kingdom as He would soon invite the Gentiles to also be part of the Church. The Jews had been God’s exclusive chosen people up until this point, so it’s understandable that they had some initial doubts when God opened communion with Himself to everyone.
BE THE FIRST
God set the example for us and wants us to be like the father in this story. Be the first to offer forgiveness, to celebrate with someone, or to welcome them with open arms. With His help, we can push aside any feelings of jealousy or holier-than-thou attitudes to embrace the growing family of God!
Make It Personal: Is it easy for you to extend grace and be excited for others, or do you find yourself needing to check your initial reactions? Pray for God to instill His grace in your heart and transform your attitude to match His.
Pray: Dear God, thank You for being my Father. Thank You for always loving me and welcoming me back with open arms. Help me to soak in the fullness of Your grace and to shower that grace on others. Bring me to a place where that is my initial natural reaction, and thank You for the ability to transform to reflect You more and more. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.
Read: Acts 10
Weekly Memory Verse: “but God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” Romans 5:8, ESV