Prodigal

May 11: Tuesday Refocus

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‘In Christ, our Great High Priest, the Lord HAS blessed us, HAS kept us, HAS made His face to shine upon us, HAS been gracious to us, HAS lifted His countenance upon us, HAS given us peace (Numbers 6:24-26) and WILL continue to do so, for all our days.’ - Matt Merker

All the things which we truly desire are already ours.  The blessing, keeping, gaze, grace, character, and peace of God are ours in and through Christ.  Because we are hidden with Christ in God (Col 3:3), because we are children of God, and if children, then heirs - heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ (Rom 8:17).

Henri Nouwen says, ‘I am the prodigal son every time I search for unconditional love where it cannot be found.’  In Christ, we can cease our searching and rest in the reality of what He has accomplished.  In Christ, we can rest in the reality that nothing can separate us from the love of God (Rom 8:31-39).

No life, death, things present or in the future, angel, demon, power, creature, height, depth, persecution, or poverty can separate us from your love, Lord.  Forgive the ways we search, seek, and forsake Your never-stopping, never-ending, unbreaking, always and forever love.  In Your name, amen.   


Resting,

AB

March 3: Tuesday Refocus

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‘Only when we feast on the Father’s love do we stop living like beggars.  And here’s the thing, we cannot be bread given for the life of the world if we live like beggars chasing after that which does not satisfy.’ - Glenn Packiam

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We have all sought rivers of life from broken cisterns. We are all prodigal children squandering our inheritance. We were all strangers, hard-hearted, stiff-necked, enemies of God…

‘But God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which He loved us, even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ - by grace you have been saved - and raised us up with Him and seated us with Him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, so that in the coming ages He might show the immeasurable riches of His grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus.’ - Ephesians 2:4-7

Now as those who have been made alive, we feast on the abundance of His house, and He gives drink from the river of His delights (Ps 36:8). We have been satisfied with good so that we are renewed (Ps 103:5).

Because our seeking is satisfied in Him, our hearts, hands, and lives can be open to give rather than consume.

’See what kind of love the Father has given to us, that we should be called children of God; and so we are…’ (1 Jn 3:1) Yes, Lord. We are children, not beggars. Let us live in that reality, let us serve from that posture - Your love given to us in and through Christ, amen.

From love,

AB