One of my favorite Bible stories is that of Zacchaeus, the "wee little man" (Luke 19:1-10). He was both literally and figuratively "up a tree" when he met Jesus. At some point in our lives, we all find ourselves "up a tree" like Zacchaeus, looking for a way out of our desperate situation.
Zacchaeus wanted to see Jesus. Maybe he had heard that Jesus wasn't like other religious leaders, or perhaps he was just curious. Quite probably he longed for redemption and restoration into God's family. Nevertheless, Zacchaeus knew he would have to be proactive if he was to see who Jesus was (Luke 19:3-4). Like Zacchaeus, when the Holy Spirit begins to work in our hearts, we will have a strong desire for God. We may not know exactly what we're looking for, but we're driven to seek for "it." We will do anything and look everywhere to find the piece and the peace that's missing.
Because Zacchaeus was small in stature, he climbed "up a tree" rather than stay "down on the street," among the crowd, hoping to see Jesus. When we seek what's missing in our lives, our ability to see is obstructed by the crowd of distractions of this life. We try things and come up empty. We have to look "up" and shift our vision from what's around us to what's above (Colossians 3:2).
Jesus knew Zacchaeus was waiting, looking, and longing to know him. When he passed by the sycamore tree, Jesus looked up and told Zacchaeus to hurry down because he must abide in his house today. One definition of the verb must is to be compelled. Zacchaeus' desire to know Jesus compelled Jesus to move into his heart and life. When we seek Christ, we find him (Luke 11:9-10). He dwells within us, and we are never the same.
Zacchaeus received Jesus joyfully. He found whom he was seeking, and his life was changed. He repented and made restoration (Luke 19:8). When we receive Christ, we are forgiven, and he comes to abide in and with us. We become new (II Corinthians 5:17) and know joy (Romans 14:17; 15:13). We change what we've been doing and want to live a life that honors God.
The religious leaders of the day rejected Jesus because he associated with sinners like Zacchaeus, but Jesus came for the lost. About Zacchaeus' conversion, Jesus proclaimed, "This day is salvation come to this house.... For the Son of man is come to seek and to save that which was lost" (Luke 19:9-10). Heaven celebrated (Luke 15:10)!
Eventually, we all find ourselves "up a tree" (Romans 3:23), but when we acknowledge we're lost, we will find Jesus waiting to abide with us (John 14:23). We will know we have found Whom we were seeking.
Lord, you promise that when we seek you we will find you and that when we call for you, you will answer. Help us to look up to you. Thank you for being our Redeemer and for restoring us to your family. Amen.
Showing posts with label forgiveness. Show all posts
Showing posts with label forgiveness. Show all posts
Sunday, March 21, 2010
Sunday, August 9, 2009
How to Love a "Prodigal"
Perhaps the most powerful of the 3 stories Jesus shares in Luke 15 is the story of the "Prodigal Son." The story applies to all of us at some point in our lives. We may be the son who "knew it all" and headed out to prove to the world that he didn't need to follow all those old fashioned rules, we may be the son who always played by the rules and tried to be the "perfect child," or we may be the father whose heart broke to see his son head down a road to certain destruction.
As parents, we certainly don't want to be in the position this father finds himself in. He knows with all certainty that his son will end up broken, but he also knows that this young man has to learn some lessons on his own. Sure enough, the son so positive that the good times are going to roll on forever finds himself in worse shape than his dad's hired hands. The son finds himself in the pig pen, literally, and there he faces the truth - Dad was right, he wasn't.
Thankfully, the story doesn't end with the son wasting away among the pigs. He makes a plan - return home, admit and own his wrong-doing, and seek restitution by working as his dad's servant. But upon his return, his dad, who had been faithfully watching and waiting for his son to return home, refuses to hear the careful plan for restitution. Instead, he embraces his son, calls for a celebration, and restores his son to his position in the family. Nowhere in the story do we see where the father recounts the stupid mistakes the son has made, the way the son has shamed the family, and the pain and anguish he's caused.
Compare this parable to the story of David, a man after God's heart. David sins big - he commits adultery with Bathsheba, has the woman's husband killed, and tries to cover up his crimes. The child of his relationship with Bathsheba dies. David tried, like the Prodigal Son, to go his own way and manipulate situations to his benefit, but eventually he had to admit he sinned against his Father. He then came before God with a broken and contrite heart, much like the Prodigal Son upon his return home.
David spoke so eloquently of repentance in Psalm 51. He pleads for mercy and forgiveness and uses much the same words as the Prodigal Son, "Against you, you only, have I sinned ...(v. 4)." But it's what David requests from the Lord that is so powerful:
Next, he asks that God renew a determination in him that couldn't be shaken, a steadfastness that would protect him from temptation and from the ups and downs in his faith and commitment to God.
Finally, David asks for a "willing spirit" to be obedient to whatever God asks of him. He was seeking the power that only God can give that would allow him to stay the course and not be moved by the temptations and adversities of life.
David had learned from his mistakes, he came before the Lord with a "broken and contrite heart," just as the Prodigal Son presented himself to his father. In fact, David says in Psalm 51:17, "The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit; a broken and contrite heart, O God, you will not despise."
For someone who has taken the path of the Prodigal Son more than once (I'm a slow learner), Luke 15 and Psalm 51 speak to me of the incredible unconditional love and forgiveness of my Heavenly Father. Because of His quickness to forgive and to rejoice over my repentant heart, I want to love Him and serve Him, I want to be steadfast in my commitment to Him.
As parents, I believe that when our children come to us truly sorry for their mistakes or rebellion, we must respond as our Heavenly Father does, and we must lead our children to take the steps that David and the Prodigal Son took to seek forgiveness and restoration.We must teach them about contrition and about seeking from God strength to do what is right and a willing spirit of obedience.
How we respond when our children do wrong sets the foundation for their understanding of love and forgiveness that they extend to themselves and to others and how able they are to accept the love and forgiveness of their Heavenly Father.
We can use these times (and unless your children are different than mine were, there will be plenty of opportunities) to teach our children the way in which to say, "I'm sorry," with meaning, and then we can lead them in the next steps to learn from their mistakes, take actions to not repeat them, and to learn obedience.
Lord, thank you for forgiving me and for restoring me into your family. Thank you for not recounting my failures, for forgetting them and loving me.
Please help us as we teach our children about You and Your love and forgiveness. Help us to provide them with wise guidance and counsel when we must discipline them. Let us always be an example of You so that they will grow to become who You have designed them to be and that they will serve You all the days of their lives.
Thank you, Lord, for Your unconditional love and forgiveness.
John 3:16-17
As parents, we certainly don't want to be in the position this father finds himself in. He knows with all certainty that his son will end up broken, but he also knows that this young man has to learn some lessons on his own. Sure enough, the son so positive that the good times are going to roll on forever finds himself in worse shape than his dad's hired hands. The son finds himself in the pig pen, literally, and there he faces the truth - Dad was right, he wasn't.
Thankfully, the story doesn't end with the son wasting away among the pigs. He makes a plan - return home, admit and own his wrong-doing, and seek restitution by working as his dad's servant. But upon his return, his dad, who had been faithfully watching and waiting for his son to return home, refuses to hear the careful plan for restitution. Instead, he embraces his son, calls for a celebration, and restores his son to his position in the family. Nowhere in the story do we see where the father recounts the stupid mistakes the son has made, the way the son has shamed the family, and the pain and anguish he's caused.
Compare this parable to the story of David, a man after God's heart. David sins big - he commits adultery with Bathsheba, has the woman's husband killed, and tries to cover up his crimes. The child of his relationship with Bathsheba dies. David tried, like the Prodigal Son, to go his own way and manipulate situations to his benefit, but eventually he had to admit he sinned against his Father. He then came before God with a broken and contrite heart, much like the Prodigal Son upon his return home.
David spoke so eloquently of repentance in Psalm 51. He pleads for mercy and forgiveness and uses much the same words as the Prodigal Son, "Against you, you only, have I sinned ...(v. 4)." But it's what David requests from the Lord that is so powerful:
Do not cast me from your presence
or take your Holy Spirit from me.
Restore to me the joy of your salvation
and grant me a willing spirit, to sustain me.
Next, he asks that God renew a determination in him that couldn't be shaken, a steadfastness that would protect him from temptation and from the ups and downs in his faith and commitment to God.
Finally, David asks for a "willing spirit" to be obedient to whatever God asks of him. He was seeking the power that only God can give that would allow him to stay the course and not be moved by the temptations and adversities of life.
David had learned from his mistakes, he came before the Lord with a "broken and contrite heart," just as the Prodigal Son presented himself to his father. In fact, David says in Psalm 51:17, "The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit; a broken and contrite heart, O God, you will not despise."
For someone who has taken the path of the Prodigal Son more than once (I'm a slow learner), Luke 15 and Psalm 51 speak to me of the incredible unconditional love and forgiveness of my Heavenly Father. Because of His quickness to forgive and to rejoice over my repentant heart, I want to love Him and serve Him, I want to be steadfast in my commitment to Him.
As parents, I believe that when our children come to us truly sorry for their mistakes or rebellion, we must respond as our Heavenly Father does, and we must lead our children to take the steps that David and the Prodigal Son took to seek forgiveness and restoration.We must teach them about contrition and about seeking from God strength to do what is right and a willing spirit of obedience.
How we respond when our children do wrong sets the foundation for their understanding of love and forgiveness that they extend to themselves and to others and how able they are to accept the love and forgiveness of their Heavenly Father.
We can use these times (and unless your children are different than mine were, there will be plenty of opportunities) to teach our children the way in which to say, "I'm sorry," with meaning, and then we can lead them in the next steps to learn from their mistakes, take actions to not repeat them, and to learn obedience.
Lord, thank you for forgiving me and for restoring me into your family. Thank you for not recounting my failures, for forgetting them and loving me.
Please help us as we teach our children about You and Your love and forgiveness. Help us to provide them with wise guidance and counsel when we must discipline them. Let us always be an example of You so that they will grow to become who You have designed them to be and that they will serve You all the days of their lives.
Thank you, Lord, for Your unconditional love and forgiveness.
John 3:16-17
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