Then He said: A certain man had two sons. And the younger of them said to his father, ‘Father, give me the portion of goods that falls to me.’ So he divided to them his livelihood. And not many days after, the younger son gathered all together, journeyed to a far country, and there wasted his possessions with prodigal living. But when he had spent all, there arose a severe famine in that land, and he began to be in want. Then he went and joined himself to a citizen of that country, and he sent him into his fields to feed swine. And he would gladly have filled his stomach with the pods that the swine ate, and no one gave him anything.
“But when he came to himself, he said, ‘How many of my father’s hired servants have bread enough and to spare, and I perish with hunger! I will arise and go to my father, and will say to him, “Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you, and I am no longer worthy to be called your son. Make me like one of your hired servants.”’
“And he arose and came to his father. But when he was still a great way off, his father saw him and had compassion, and ran and fell on his neck and kissed him. And the son said to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and in your sight, and am no longer worthy to be called your son.’
“But the father said to his servants, ‘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 fatted calf here and kill it, and let us eat and be merry; for this my son was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.’ And they began to be merry.
“Now his older son was in the field. And as he came and drew near to the house, he heard music and dancing. So he called one of the servants and asked what these things meant. And he said to him, ‘Your brother has come, and because he has received him safe and sound, your father has killed the fatted calf.’
“But he was angry and would not go in. Therefore his father came out and pleaded with him. So he answered and said to his father, ‘Lo, these many years I have been serving you; I never transgressed your commandment at any time; and yet you never gave me a young goat, that I might make merry with my friends. But as soon as this son of yours came, who has devoured your livelihood with harlots, you killed the fatted calf for him.’
“And he said to him, ‘Son, you are always with me, and all that I have is yours. It was right that we should make merry and be glad, for your brother was dead and is alive again, and was lost and is found.’” Luke 15:11-32 NKJV
I find this story fascinating - the father gives all he has to the children. The one blows it on wayward living, the other doesn't. But what struck me here is the father calls for the fatted calf when the prodigal returns. The fatted calf was no longer his to give! It belonged to the son who remained. But the son who remained at home, seemed to have done it out of duty, service, and self-righteousness. His heart is revealed as his level of joy doesn't seem to match that of the father's. The son who remained at home seemed to hold his possessions tightly. His brother returned, was welcomed back into the fold - but all he could do is complain about his "belongings" being used and feeling sorry for himself since no party was thrown for him. Wow - looks like his eyes were on himself! The reality is, the son who remained seemed to do so out of duty, and was tight-fisted. He didn't seem to share in the things that excited his father.
Isn't that a picture of us? Hanging around in the church, talking about, even to our Father, but not really caring about what is on the Father's heart! Do we desire to share in His sufferings?
So where are my eyes? Are they fixed on Him or myself? Am I tight-fisted, or am I freely sharing? Do I share in what delights my Father? Unfortunately, I often find myself feeling like the son who stayed at home - who's throwing me a party? Where's my fatted calf? Am I generous as I should be in my giving? Am I giving out of a cheerful heart as a response to His love for me, or am I giving as an act of service for Him?
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