Advent Devotional 2021
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“’We must celebrate, for this son of mine was dead and has now returned to life.
He was lost, but now he is found.’” Luke 15:23-24
He was lost, but now he is found.’” Luke 15:23-24
Hello, my name is Mark . . . and I’m a Prodigal Son.
In Luke 15, Jesus tells three stories – of a sheep, a coin and a son – to convey God’s heart for the lost. And while we’ve most likely read or heard all three, the one that probably is the most familiar is the story of the lost son.
And it should be, for the story of the Prodigal Son is the story of us.
A young man tells his father he wants to seek fame and fortune in the world. The father gives him his inheritance and allows him to go, and so the son sets out to experience everything the world has to offer. It doesn’t take long for the “good life” to turn bad, and when the son finds himself homeless and eating pig slop, as the scripture says, he “comes to his senses” and heads back to his father, where he finds love, forgiveness, reconciliation and joyful celebration.
Isn’t that the way it is with us? After all, aren’t we all prodigal sons and daughters at times? We may not physically leave home, waste what we have on wild living, and soon realize the error of our ways. But don’t we oh-so-often, in ways both small and large, leave our Father’s presence to go our own way rather than His?
Of course we do; after all, we believers have been saved for all eternity, and yet we sin in the here and now.
The good news is the rest of the story: When we come to our senses and seek to return home, there He is, our Heavenly Father, joyfully running toward us, His heart filled with compassion, His loving arms reaching out, eager to pull us in and hold us close.
“Let’s celebrate,” He then exclaims, “for this son, this daughter of mine, was lost but now is found!”
Mark Vasche
In Luke 15, Jesus tells three stories – of a sheep, a coin and a son – to convey God’s heart for the lost. And while we’ve most likely read or heard all three, the one that probably is the most familiar is the story of the lost son.
And it should be, for the story of the Prodigal Son is the story of us.
A young man tells his father he wants to seek fame and fortune in the world. The father gives him his inheritance and allows him to go, and so the son sets out to experience everything the world has to offer. It doesn’t take long for the “good life” to turn bad, and when the son finds himself homeless and eating pig slop, as the scripture says, he “comes to his senses” and heads back to his father, where he finds love, forgiveness, reconciliation and joyful celebration.
Isn’t that the way it is with us? After all, aren’t we all prodigal sons and daughters at times? We may not physically leave home, waste what we have on wild living, and soon realize the error of our ways. But don’t we oh-so-often, in ways both small and large, leave our Father’s presence to go our own way rather than His?
Of course we do; after all, we believers have been saved for all eternity, and yet we sin in the here and now.
The good news is the rest of the story: When we come to our senses and seek to return home, there He is, our Heavenly Father, joyfully running toward us, His heart filled with compassion, His loving arms reaching out, eager to pull us in and hold us close.
“Let’s celebrate,” He then exclaims, “for this son, this daughter of mine, was lost but now is found!”
Mark Vasche
Prayer focus: Ask God to reveal an area in your life you need to surrender to Him
Community prayer focus: Individuals dealing with addiction
Community prayer focus: Individuals dealing with addiction
Favorite Christmas Carol
“I Heart the Bells on Christmas Day”
“Angels We Have Heard on High”
“Mary Did You Know.”
. . . whatever Choir is working on.
Jenner Swanson
“I Heart the Bells on Christmas Day”
“Angels We Have Heard on High”
“Mary Did You Know.”
. . . whatever Choir is working on.
Jenner Swanson
