Daily Devotional: Tuesday, March 9
Speaker: Ben Sigman
Theme: Grace
Weekend Music links on iTunes: Yesterday, Today and Forever by Vicky Beeching; The Time Has Come by Hillsong United; Your Name by Paul Baloche; Need You Here by Hillsong; Til I See You by Hillsong.
Read: Luke 15:11-31
Think: As Pastor Ben talked about God's grace this weekend it was as if we got a glimpse of the very heart of God toward His people. In fact the more we learn, the more we see that grace is the very essence of what Jesus is all about! Today's bible passage, the account of the prodigal son is the story of a good-for-nothing who has messed up in every way imaginable. He has broken the heart of his dad, wasted his resources and ruined his family reputation. But what awaits him as he returns home a broken man? "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." (Luke 15:20) What a picture of the grace of Our Father in Heaven.
As Pastor Ben talked about a few weeks ago, the prodigal son account in Christianity isn't a unique story - similar stories are found in other belief systems. If you remember, Ben shared the big difference in Christianity- according to Scripture, God not only gives another chance He rushes to the wayward with open arms! Those judged undesirable, unforgiveable, unredeemable by everyone else-maybe like the prodigal son-are infinitely desirable to God. So much so that when one of them turns to God, a party breaks out.
Because of God's great grace extended to us, we can be agents of His grace to others because the love of Christ now is in us. We are called to extend that mercy, to be conveyers of grace, not avoiders of those far from God. Like Jesus, we can help the lost find their way to the Father who waits with party hats and open arms!
Do: Who have you deemed unreachable or too far gone for God to ever be able to change? See them through God's eyes (maybe as the prodigal son) and extend the grace that God does and tell them about a Father full of grace and mercy!
Pray: God help me to see people as You see them. Forgive me that I've judged, that I've pronounced others as unworthy or beyond Your reach. Use me today to be an agent of your love acceptance and forgiveness and of your amazing grace to the hurting people in my life. Amen.
The eDevotional is written each week by a team of volunteers from Timberlake Church. |
