The Prodigal Perspective, Part #2
Hold on tight, this devotion is another one of me trying to put together pieces of things in other devotions to emphasize various things…
First, I’ve mentioned that I enjoy mowing because I use the time that I’m mindlessly mowing to reflect or listen to song lyrics. I can’t believe how much of my life I’ve wasted listening to pop music before finding contemporary Christian music. I used to be all about the melody of music playing in the background. In fact, my favorite album for decades was titled “No Boundaries,” an album of instrumental easy listening music. I think that was because most of the time I had music on, I was studying for actuarial exams so I needed something I could ignore and drown out any background sounds.
Yesterday, as I was mowing, one of the artists from Casting Crowns introduced the song from 2018, “Start Right Here.” He emphasized this verse:
I'm like the brother of the prodigal
Who turned his nose and puffed his chest
He didn't run off like his brother
But his soul was just as dead
What if the church on Sunday
Was still the church on Monday too?
What if we came down from our towers
And walked a mile in someone's shoes?
I guess it is now obvious where my train of thought regarding the Prodigal Son parable came from. I made a devotion exposing the value of devotions in trying to tie real events with biblical passages. Even in that devotion, I tried to encourage both devotions as well as in-depth biblical study. I want to emphasize biblical study and let you know that while I use my mowing time for reflection and to listen to Christian music, when I have my quiet time, I try to do it, for me, before the sun rises or my wife gets up to minimize any distractions. I try to focus my thoughts on God and what he wants me to learn. This morning, my daily reading included Matthew 5. Instead of stopping there, the start of The Sermon on the Mount, I stopped my process to read all the Sermon on the Mount together, chapters 5 - 7. In other words, I tried to open myself to what God wanted me to learn.
“And when you pray, you must not be like the hypocrites. For they love to stand and pray in the synagogues and at the street corners, that they may be seen by others. Truly, I say to you, they have received their reward. But when you pray, go into your room and shut the door and pray to your Father who is in secret. And your Father who sees in secret will reward you.” - Matthew 6:5-6 ESV
Lastly (I originally started this sentence with “Finally” and realized that my faith walk will never be final), I saw a social media cartoon that showed what appeared to be pennies falling from the sky with two people walking down a sidewalk. One person said “oh look, pennies are falling from heaven” while the other person said “global warming”. I have always believed that a positive attitude has an impact of how happy you are. But it is more than a positive attitude, it is a Godly attitude.
“My son, do not forget my teaching, but let your heart keep my commandments, for length of days and years of life and peace they will add to you. Let not steadfast love and faithfulness forsake you; bind them around your neck; write them on the tablet of your heart. So you will find favor and good success in the sight of God and man. Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths. Be not wise in your own eyes; fear the Lord, and turn away from evil. It will be healing to your flesh and refreshment to your bones. Honor the Lord with your wealth and with the first-fruits of all your produce; then your barns will be filled with plenty, and your vats will be bursting with wine. My son, do not despise the Lord’s discipline or be weary of his reproof, for the Lord reproves him whom he loves, as a father the son in whom he delights.” - Proverbs 3:1-12
And probably the most important thing to consider
“And this is the promise that he made to us—eternal life.” - 1 John 2:25
This world is not our home.
