The Prodigal Returns

Chapter Fifteen of the Gospel of Luke begins with Jesus telling the parable of the Lost Sheep, then the parable of the Lost Coin, and finally the parable of the Prodigal Son. All three focus on the joy of finding that which was lost, and more specifically, the rejoicing in Heaven over each sinner who repents.

As I read the story of the Prodigal Son, I couldn’t help but compare it to my own journey toward my Heavenly Father. I suppose each and every child of God can do the same. Reading this Parable brought to mind the months before I placed my faith in Christ. Our stories are similar. Like the younger son in the story, I took for granted all that I had been given. Just as he left his home and family, thinking that with his share of the family fortune he could find happiness in a distant land, I walked away from my home and family, searching for that elusive “something” that would give me the peace and joy that I longed for.

The Prodigal thought that all he needed was money to make his dreams come true. Off he went, searching for those greener pastures that he believed would satisfy his heart’s desires. Aren’t we all the same? Doesn’t mankind come up with countless ways to try and fill that God shaped vacuum that we are all born with? God gives each of us life and breath, opportunities and countless blessings. Yet in our blind, spiritually dead condition, so many of us end up in the swine pen, having failed to arrive at that place of promise, being led there by selfish motives and ignorance of the truth.

In my own swine pen experience, I awoke one day to realize what I had thrown away. The reality of my loneliness was like a cold lump in my gut. I staggered under an overwhelming sense of shame and regret, realizing the foolishness of my decisions, and the conviction that I was a sinner without hope. I can relate to that wayward son, as he sat in the muck, impoverished of body and spirit. He had thrown away what was good, and spent all he had, only to end up with nothing, no one, and nowhere to go.

And like the Prodigal, I too had a change of heart, a turning away from the selfish, foolish path that I was on, toward the outstretched arms of my Heavenly Father. For both that wayward son and myself, there was a happy ending; a homecoming where we were welcomed into an embrace of mercy and forgiveness. But it didn’t have to turn out that way. For countless others, their swine pen experience is only another step on the road to perdition. Instead of realizing their folly, being humbled and seeking forgiveness, they become bitter, or desperate, or further deluded to the true nature of their situation. Their hearts, instead of softening toward God, become hardened. Their final destination is not an eternity in glory, but one of never ending separation from the grace they shunned.

Only the work of the Holy Spirit can bring us “to ourselves”; that is, to see our true state as lost sheep in need of a shepherd. Had God not intervened and awakened me from my death stupor, I would have carried on, blindly stumbling toward a lost eternity. Instead of a worldly sorrow, however, the Holy Spirit brought true conviction for my sin. His work in a heart brings one low, so low that you lose every shred of pride. Like the Prodigal, you are ready to confess all, admit that all is due to your own folly, and come begging for mercy, even to be as a hired hand in your own father’s house.

Repentance leaves no room for pride. It casts it out as the stumbling block to salvation that it is. When we, like that lost son, are brought to our senses, we know that our only hope is the mercy and grace of God in Jesus Christ. Like that boy, we bow the knee, admit our sin, and seek to be brought into the Father’s favor.

And like the father in the story, our Father is quick to embrace, quick to forgive, and quick to rejoice in our newly found, newly saved state. We were, after all, dead. Dead in our trespasses, without hope. But now we are made alive in Christ, and clothed with His robe of righteousness which covers all of our sin stains. That muck of sin and despair, like the muck that the Prodigal wallowed in, filled with grief and regret, is washed away by the blood of the Lamb.

Thank God for His marvelous grace! Thank Him for his kindness that leads us to repentance! If you are His, thank Him that He did not leave you to continue down a path of destruction, but like the Prodigal, He brought you to your senses, and welcomed you home with joy and celebration. Pray for those that you know who have yet to be brought to life, who continue blindly down that broad path to eternal death. Pray for God’s grace to stop them in their tracks, and send them into the safety of His welcoming embrace.

But the father said to his slaves, 'Quickly bring out the best robe and put it on him, and put a ring on his hand and sandals on his feet; and bring the fattened calf, kill it, and let us eat and celebrate; for this son of mine was dead and has come to life again; he was lost and has been found.' And they began to celebrate. (Luke 15: 22-24)

Giving Thanks

Yesterday was the day that Canadians celebrate Thanksgiving. Where I live, the the weather was beautiful. In fact, the whole weekend was the epitome of autumn perfection. My family came for dinner, and even though it was a lot of work for dear old gramma (that's me), it was well worth it.

I don't really mind the work of a big meal, if it means having my family gathered around the dining room table. Those are the moments I am most thankful for. Watching them all digging in, and listening to the varied conversations and laughter, I was content. Truly I am blessed. So many things to thank God for. The list is endless.

Yesterday I also received an email from a friend whose wife is seriously ill, and has been for a long time. I have been encouraged by this couple who, even in the midst of their sruggle, have taken the time to encourage others and pray for my family. I know they are thankful for their blessings also, though in their current situation, I know it must be difficult to focus on anything positive. There are things, though, that I know they will always be quick to give thanks for. Some of these are:

• the grace of God in their lives, in the midst of trials
• the shed blood of Jesus Christ for their souls
• the promise of their heavenly inheritance, an eternity with Christ
• the love and presence of God, though not always felt, that is always there and never failing
• the mercy shown to them in God's gift of salvation.

I know they are, and always will be, thankful for these things, because they are the things that all of God's people are thankful for. They are the things that carry us, and override every other situation in our lives. As I was reminded of today, no matter what we go though in this life, good or bad, at the end of the day, there is only JESUS.

If you want to know more about this couple's struggle, click on this link:

http://bloodtippedears.blogspot.com/2010/09/help-and-prayer-for-my-mother-carol.html

(For Ike and Carol, with love)

Family

I went to a family reunion yesterday. (Above picture is not them, I borrowed it from "Photobucket") It was my dad's side of the family; folks I don't see very often. Every year they get together on Saturday of Labor Day weekend. This year it was held at my cousin Carl's house. My sister Bernie and I went, along with her granddaughter Celci, Celci's half brother Nate, and my son Jess.

Meeting with folks you don't know very well, and may only see every year or two, can feel a bit awkward. That is how I felt yesterday, at first. I suppose everyone feels that way. It's not that you don't want to be friendly, or get to know people. But somehow, you don't know where to start.

I thought we would stay only for an hour or two, but two hours stretched into six. As the day progressed, I think we all began to relax. Two babes in arms and three toddlers gave us all something to share; everyone loves babies. We fussed over the littler ones, four and six months, and were entertained by the toddlers.

I wish I had taken a picture as the youngest was held up close to Uncle Nick, who turned 90 this year. What a beautiful image it made; the family patriarch greeting this youngest family member.

My son Jess, who is a musician, had never met this side of our family. What a nice surprise to discover that cousin Carl played guitar! Jess had brought his along, so the two of them got together for a little jam session. Amy, married to cousin David's son Jonathan, joined in on the piano for a bit. We sang "Puff the Magic Dragon" and "Leavin' on a Jet Plane" and a few other oldies but goodies. Carl was kind to play "Crazy" by Patsy Cline for me, and I tried valiantly to croon out the vocals. Patsy is in no danger from me, that's for sure.

Our gracious hosts, Carl and Janis, laid out a beautiful meal for us. Hamburgers, hot dogs and salads were enjoyed, and I even managed to stay away from the butter tarts for a change, though I hear they were quite yummy.

By the end of the day I felt so relaxed and at home. I wish we got together more often. I wish cousin Tony, and others who couldn't make it, had been there. I wish I knew each one better than I do, and I wish I had the time to get to know them. My dad and his only sibling are gone, and these lovely people are part of him somehow for me. As Janis and I were saying, family is so important. The older you get, the more important they become. Other things in life mean less than they used to, and we look at our families with growing love and appreciation. Maybe it's seeing the generations come and go before our eyes that helps us to realize how precious life is, how precious people are. They are gifts, like the beautifully breezy day we had yesterday, the delightful antics of kids and Jake, the dog, the delicious food, great music, rich snippets of conversation, and safe travel to and from.

Thank you Lord for family. Thank you for how you fashioned each one of us, and how you continue giving life through each generation. Thank you for blessing with babies, husbands, wives, inlaws and pets. I pray you will give more opportunities for us to get to know each other better. Help us to realize your grace in our lives each day.

Cut The Strings

Where Is God When Your Daughter Leaves Home?
I hoped I would never have to ask that question even though I already knew the answer. He’s right there with you. As a mother of three daughters, I prayed they would stay rooted in their Christian faith throughout their lives. When our youngest daughter chose to turn her back on her faith and walk away from God, my husband and I faced one of the most difficult and painful times of our lives.

Questions plagued us. What had we done wrong? How had we failed our daughter? Had we treated her differently as the youngest? What would become of her as she deliberately pursued a dangerous and addictive lifestyle? Would our prodigal daughter be able to hear God’s voice as she wandered far from the One who loves her with an everlasting love?

I’ve been a Christian for many years and have learned from experience that God is always with us no matter what circumstances we are going through. During these years when my heart was broken time and time again, His Word became my anchor in the raging storm. Spending time in His presence strengthened my faith and brought peace to my heart.

When I asked my questions He reminded me of His unfailing love for our daughter and assured me that He was at work in her life. Even when I pray and see nothing happening or things get worse? I asked. Yes, even then, He whispered.

Several years later, God impressed me to share our story as an encouragement to the many hurting parents who are sitting in our pews. When I mentioned it to my daughter, she told me she felt God urging her to do the same. Together we prayed that God would use this story for His glory. Our prayer is for parents and teens to read this story of forgiveness, grace and redemption together and be strengthened in their faith.

CUT THE STRINGS is the true story of a mother who experienced the agony of watching her daughter walk away from everything right and good, ending up in a life of degradation and shame while each of them lived in their own reality.

It is also the story of a daughter’s desperate search for a life of fulfillment and acceptance who found herself instead chained in a prison of emptiness, addictions and despair.

Best of all, it is a story about GOD, the one who relentlessly pursued a willful young woman, protected her life, and sustained a family through it all.


CUT THE STRINGS is now available at Chapters and at Emmaus Family Books.

Book signings:

Emmaus Family Books, Peterborough, Ontario

Saturday September 11th 1-3 pm

Chapters, Peterborough, Ontario

Saturday October 16th 1-3 pm


Sharon Cavers

Higher and Higher...............

It's Sunday again! This morning with my church group we had a wonderful discussion around trees, plants, and other living things. We talked about how God gives life to even the tiniest seeds, and provides the soil, sun and rain that they require to grow up out of the ground, and bear fruit and flowers.

Bill and Ethel talked about how they had found a quaint motel on their weekend getaway last week. It was located on the water, and on that Sunday morning they had sat looking out over the water, at the horizon in the distance. In the forest that was there, they noticed one tree that stood out from the rest, due to its great height. Ethel remarked how it seemed to be reaching up to the sky, and how all plant life did the same. It's as though they reach up to heaven, knowing that is where their life comes from.

Bill mentioned how some seeds even remain dormant for many years, till just the right time when they spring to life. I then mentioned how I had just seen a portion of a film the day before that explained how in Death Valley, the hottest place on earth, there is still rainfall that causes new life to cover ground that was formerly parched and barren. And in that place, seeds that have been dead for 20 or 30 years will sprout with the rainfall, resulting in beautiful foliage.

We talked about how like dormant, dead seeds our hearts are, until the Holy Spirit comes and waters them, and brings them to life. They are dead in trespasses and sins, unable to grow in grace or holiness, or bear fruit for God. But once Holy Spirit regenerates us, we are just like those plants growing up from seeds, and those mighty oaks that devlop from tiny acorns. Just as they reach up to the sky, toward the sun and the rain, we reach out to our Saviour, our Father, and the Holy Spirit. We are fed and watered, and grow deep roots, being rooted and grounded in love and grace.

The Christian life is one of looking up. We fix our eyes on Jesus, set our minds on things above, and keep looking up for our redemption that is drawing near. Our hearts turn away from sin and self, and toward God, just as plants turn to face the sun, needing its warmth and bright rays to grow. Increasingly, we think less of our own selves, and more of Christ. He has become to us "wisdom from God, and righteousness and sanctification, and redemption." (1 Cor. 1:30b) We have been blessed "with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ." (Eph. 1:3) Knowing that we are citizens of Heaven, and that we are strangers, aliens here on earth, we realize more and more that our lives here are but for an instant, compared to the eternity we will spend in Glory.

Nature displays God's amazing creativity, and we can draw many lessons from the wide variety of species with whom we co-exist. I never grow weary of meditating on God's providential care for all of His creation, and how He is made known through it to all of mankind. May He speak to you through His handiwork today!

God's Next Move (?)

Today I spent a couple of hours at Value Village. It's like a "Goodwill" Store, and sells every kind of second hand clothing and household items that you could imagine. It's not hard to lose total track of time there, as you wander from aisle to aisle, seeking those bargain prices. My friend Deb calls it being "sucked into the Value Village Vortex." (She is a fellow VV Boutique Junkie.)

As I usually do when I am in there, I perused the used books for a while. One that I particularly noticed was titled "The Next Move of God." It seemed a fairly presumptuous title to me. Kind of sounded as if the author imagined that he had an inside scoop on what God might be up to next. To be fair, I should have at least leafed through it before making any judgements regarding its content. But we do often hear writers and preachers speak of God's "next" or "new" move. And today, after seeing that book title, I began to think about the idea that God was making certain "moves", new or otherwise.

Hasn't God always been "moving", from the beginning, from the time He created the heavens and the earth, and His Spirit "was moving over the surface of the waters?" (Genesis 1:2) He is continually working out His plans and purposes, dealing with mankind in judgement, or mercy, always according to His holy, all wise nature. Always moving, always sovereignly in charge, He never slumbers or sleeps.

Does He ever do a "new" thing? I suppose He does things that we haven't personally seen or experienced before. But I wonder, is it just our modern day thirst for something "new and improved" that makes us think that God is always planning some new, amazing "thing" that He has never done before? Preachers, writers, speakers are often predicting the next thing He might do, or explaining what He is currently doing. But is He really doing anything "new"? Does He need to? What He has been doing, all along, has been effective, more effective than we will know in this life. Maybe the difference is that, from time to time, people are simply responding to Him in a greater way.

We seem to love change. We love to label "movements", even within the Church: the Charismatic movement, the Shepherding movement, the House Church movement...the list goes on. Certainly God may be involved in these things, but isn't He simply acting according the continuum of the plans He has made from eternity? He calls, He saves, He leads, He enables. He stirs our hearts to love Him, and gives us a vision of His own heart. He is the Maestro, the Master Planner, our Great Teacher, wooing us along, bending our will to His own. Is He on the move? Always. Can we predict what He might do next? I think for the most part, He chooses to reveal just enough to us to allow us to take that one next step, leaving the results up to Him.

My hope and prayer is that I will stay close enough to hear His whispers, follow His leading, and stay in step with what He might be doing in the world around me. I'm so thankful that even when we are lagging behind, He will continue to work, to move in our hearts, completing that good work that He started.

Cut The Strings - Book Review

God is faithful! This message comes through loud and clear as we watch Sharon Cavers, her husband and family, and daughter Amy Jackson navigate through the storms of teenage rebellion. Second to that, we see how Sharon and her husband Bill have their faith tested; and it comes through as pure gold. And third, we are caught up with them in their longing to see their youngest daughter wake up to the realization of the dangerous path she is on, and come running into the waiting arms of her Heavenly Father.

Sharon and Bill are parents to three daughters. Things go along fairly smoothly for them, as they raise the girls in the fear of the Lord, with the support of a loving church family. Until Amy, as a young teenager, begins to step outside of Christian boundaries of behaviour and lifestyle into a world that is scripturally forbidden for all, and certainly not allowed for anyone raised to know and obey God.

Sharon and Amy take turns in the writing, each speaking in the first person. Having both made journal entries over the period of time when the story takes place, they are able to give us a glimpse into each of their thoughts and hearts. Sharon faces each challenge brought by Amy's increasingly rebellious lifestyle with a mixture of emotions. As a worried parent anguishing over her daughter's life and soul, she experiences fear, doubt, and finally finds peace in remembering just Who her God is. He is her rock, her strength, her wisdom, and her hope. The journal entries are her emotions spilled onto the page; all of her heart is poured out to her God, with nothing held back.

As I read through the book (in two evenings), I was almost praying along with Sharon and her husband, praying that Amy would take that one step toward her Saviour, and be rescued from the darkness she was in. She endures a pain-filled journey over several years, sinking into the clutches of drugs and alcohol, trying to prove to the world that she can handle anything. But all the while, inside she is a frightened young girl, longing to be "home", but not sure where that is or how to get there.

I applaud both Sharon and Amy for their courage in telling their story. I know that they have both prayed that God will use it, and I know He will As I said in a previous post, real life stories are my favourite. Of course, knowing both the authors of this book made it even more "real" to me. However, I know that just about anyone who is a parent or a teen to grown up child will be able to relate.

You will find it hard to put this book down, and you will find your own faith strengthened as you read this beautiful story of faith and redemption.

Find out how to order a copy for yourself by visiting http://www.gardenpathinspirations.com/book.htm