There was a father and a son. By the father, the
son was promised prosperity; yet, he desired the world.
The son did not honor his father. He took his
inheritance and misspent it. Ultimately, he was punished by his own hand, living
in poverty, starving, and near death. He didn’t think he was worthy to return
to his father.
Dying from hunger, the son returned to be a
servant in his father's house so he could eat. Seeing his son, the father
rushed to meet him. He killed a fatted calf to celebrate his son’s return;
giving forgiveness and reconciliation to the son.
Instead of being happy by the mercy of the
father and the return of the prodigal son, the brother said, “What is
that?” I’ve been the perfect son. You never did this for me.
The prodigal son was not perfect, just forgiven.
After being rescued from Egypt, God led the
Israelites to the Promised Land. But, they weren’t happy. The people
didn’t accept the mercy of God.
They desired things of the world. They praised
what they had in Egypt instead of praising God. Instead of honoring God, the
Israelites took what God gave them and squandered it. In punishment they
brought upon themselves, the Israelites wandered in the desert, always hungry
and near death.
Starving they turned to God. God gave them food.
They weren’t perfect, just forgiven.
Philosopher
Eleanor Stump writes, “When the
food first showed up on the ground, the Israelites said, “Mah Na,” words in their
language for “What is that?” and manna is what it came to be called.”
What is that? We asked this question a lot about
God’s mercy. We can’t seem to accept it. So we throw away the gift that is the
riches of mercy from our Heavenly Father.
God never changes. The Father gives himself and
in that is the gift of the Son; the gift that is never taken away. He never
takes away his mercy.
Paul tells us that God
reconciles the world to himself in Christ. God does not count our trespasses.
The problem is we count our
trespasses.
Mercy, what is that? I don’t deserve;
because. I am not the loyal son, Pharisee or Scribe. .
Mercy is not what I deserve. But, it is what God
gives.
God’s mercy is realized in our reconciliation.
It is waiting to feed us the fatted calf and parched grain of reconciliation.
Mercy is the Father’s arms and the Promised Land.
Recognize the message of mercy and be open to reconciliation.
We are the lost son, tax collector and sinner. We don’t have to be perfect,
just forgiven.
God
entrusts us with this message of reconciliation. We are his ambassadors to the
world.
“Y’all be good, y’all be holy. Preach the gospel
by the way you live and love.” Amen
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