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Do You Know What You Already Have?
Andrea Lende • May 5, 2020
Luke 15:28, 29, and 31
Do You Know What You Already Have?
You can also listen to the meditation and prayer at: https://anchor.fm/andrea-lende/episodes/Do-You-Know-What-You-Already-Have-edlne9
Daily Word:
Luke 15:28, 29, 31
“But [the elder brother] was angry [with deep-seated wrath] and resolved not to go in. Then his father came out and began to plead with him.”
“But he answered his father, Look! These many years I have served you, and I have never disobeyed your command. Yet you never gave me [so much as] a [little] kid, that I might revel and feast and be happy and make merry with my friends;”
“And the father said to him, Son, you are always with me, and all that is mine is yours.”
The Pharisees had been complaining that Jesus was spending so much time with sinners.
So, Jesus started explaining why he spent time with them.
He told a number of parables.
And, of course, our verses today are a part of the prodigal son parable He told.
As I read the parable today, I was struck with the older son’s words.
He was very upset that his father was giving his brother, the heathen, a huge banquet.
He had not been given a banquet by his father and he had been the obedient one.
He had done everything his father asked him to do.
He was compliant.
He worked very hard for his father.
And his reward seemed to not be apparent to him.
He did not feel it was right to celebrate his disobedient brother at all.
He felt slighted.
I started thinking that this is the way I have felt sometimes during my lifetime.
There have been people around who have been promoted and I was not.
It seemed unfair.
I have also watched many people be blessed with things that I have not been blessed with.
And it has seemed unfair.
So, I understand the brother’s feelings.
Then as I read his father’s reply it all turned upside down to me.
“Son, you are always with me, and all that is mine is yours.”
When I consider the spiritual realm, I hear God saying the same thing, “you are always with Me, and all that is Mine is yours.”
The Lord is always with me.
And I have access to everything that He has to offer me.
I am blessed beyond measure when I look at this in a spiritual way.
The physical things of this world do not compare to the spiritual blessings that the Lord has blessed me with.
In addition, He takes care of all my physical needs as well.
I may not have as shiny or as new as someone else, but I have everything I need.
So, this parable showed up differently to me as I read it this time.
I have underestimated the gifts I have already received and am more appreciative of all that God has given me and the access to Him He has also given me.
Today I choose to see more clearly the beautiful gifts that God has given me and will not complain or compare gifts that others receive.
May you find that as you treasure what the Lord has given you, that more blessings will follow, and your heart will remain thankful.
Daily Prayer:
O Lord, my God, thank You for showing me that a grateful heart receives much more from You than a wanting heart. Help me see all that You have blessed me with and help me count those blessings often. You are so gracious and merciful, Father, and I thank You for every blessing You have given to me. Help me not miss all the wonderful things You do for me. Put gratefulness in my heart and let me not be troubled by someone else’s blessings. You are the giver of all things, and Your bountiful blessings are plentiful and perfectly timed. Thank You for all You do for me and all that You are. Help me bless another today, Lord. And thank You for hearing my prayer.
Answer: I take pleasure in blessing you, My child, and will continue to do so.
Response: Thank You, most gracious and merciful Father.
We start a New Year! How exciting! Paul had just finished telling the Ephesians to put off their old nature. They had been run around by their feelings and desires. He told them to be renewed in their spirit. The Amplified Bible defines this to be “having a fresh mental and spiritual attitude.” As we say goodbye to this year, let us put on the new and leave the old behind. We have an opportunity to reflect on what to bring forward into this New Year.
This is a great message for the New Year. We can be in control of our own words. As a mother, I used to tell my children to use their words to explain what was happening in their minds. I tried to help them find the right words. Words that would help the situation and not make it worse. I must do the same thing when talking to them. It’s important to use words that do not damage their spirits. Words that lift up instead of tear down. Even though my children have grown, I still want to be careful how I speak to them because my worlds will impact them for the rest of their lives.
As we approach the New Year, it is a perfect time to take inventory of what part of our lives, our hearts, and our souls are not bearing fruit. What can we give up as this year comes to a close? What do we need to give to the Lord for His cleansing and pruning? The answers to these questions take time. Time with the Lord. We are creatures of routines and habits which serve us well. But we can also change our routines and habits to serve us and the Lord better. So, we can ask God to show us what He wants us to give up so that He can have more of us.
I cannot think of a better verse to meditate on as we approach the New Year. Jesus said, "the kingdom of God is within you [in your hearts] and among you [surrounding you]." For so many years I believed I had to wait to go to heaven to experience the kingdom of God. I have longed to step into heaven and meet the Lord and His Son. However, as we read the Gospels and study Jesus and all that He said, we begin to understand the kingdom of God is all around us. The kingdom of God is within.
Paul wrote to the Colossians and told them he was praying for them. He prayed they would be refreshed, renewed, and invigorated. He also prayed they would be strengthened. May his prayer be heard by the Lord God Almighty on our behalf today just as it was received two thousand years ago. God is the Source of all things beautiful and wonderful. There is no shortage of renewal, refreshment, or inspiration in His kingdom. And as the Creator of this universe, He continues to pour all good things into His people. Paul wrote that refreshment and strength are needed so we may have endurance.
This verse is the perfect verse to reflect on as Christmas comes to a close. The Lord sent His Son to us. He sent Him to this world as a babe. Jesus was given the task of growing up. A difficult one for all of us. He endured the awkward stages we all go through as we grow past them. I look back at old picture and cringe, yes, I cringe. This life provides plenty of opportunities to feel awkward and just plain weird, but our Father loves us as though we are perfect every day of our lives. This is why Jesus came. He came to make us perfect in God’s sight.
God made Himself flesh so He could take away the sins of the world. The story of the very first Christmas was humble, yet the most powerful and loving birth ever recorded in history. All humanity changed in an instant. When Jesus was born, love filled the earth. Love came down and lifted us up. The angels came to tell the shepherds of this beautiful birth. The stars in the heavens also told the story. As we do all tasks that we do to ensure a beautiful Christmas day, may we remember the miracle that God sent long ago. The miracle of all miracles.
The first Christmas was going to be documented, so that it could be read many times over for all Christmas’ to come. It was also documented so the prophecy of the Messiah’s birth would be known to be fulfilled. Prophets of old foretold Jesus would come from the house of David. They also prophesied that He would be born in Bethlehem. And all this came to pass. Even though Jesus would be known as a Nazarene, His beginning began in Bethlehem. God’s divine plan was set in motion with the first census while Mary was at the end of her pregnancy.
What a wonderful passage to read during Christmas week. Our passage touched my heart as I read it through the lens of Jesus’ birth. “It was God [personally present] in Christ, reconciling and restoring the world to favor with Himself.” We have so much to be thankful for in these few short words, “restoring the world to favor with Himself.” So undeserved and yet so graciously given. We are offered favor with the Lord. Imagine having favor with the almighty God, the Creator of the universe. Jesus chose to leave heaven’s door where all was perfect. He chose to be born into this dusty messy world.
Jesus had just spoken to a fig tree and deemed it unworthy to live because it had no fruit on it. His disciples were amazed when they saw the fig tree wither and die. Then the Lord talked to them about prayer and belief. He told them that whatever they asked for, if they had the faith and belief, they would receive it. I remember the day I started hearing music and lyrics. I had just bowed my head at the piano and asked if the Lord would bless praise and worship music. As soon as I prayed that prayer, the Lord bestowed the gift of song writing upon me.