11 November 2010
Psalm 23, 27; Joel 2.21-27; James 1.1-15; Luke 15.1-2, 11-32

What a wonderful relief from the destruction and devastation and famine it is to hear the Lord’s blessing proclaimed! The prophet’s heart surely leapt with joy when he heard the Lord speak these words to him. The judgment has passed and a new era of blessing has begun where what was lost will be restored and there will be no more famine and the people will rejoice. It will be a time of praise and worship, the recognition that it was God who judged, He calls the locusts His army, and it is God who has restored. Have we seen this day when the people are not put to shame or does the fulfillment of the prophecy await the coming of the kingdom and include those like us who were grafted into the people of God?

The parable of the Prodigal is important for our Christian walk, not just the first part of the journey. It remains important to us to live the Prodigal walk, to make our confession whenever we sin against the Lord in order that we not end up in that foreign land. The story begins with the younger son having already decided to walk away but we know from our own experience that there were many decisions along the way that got him to this point and we need to stop the attitude of ingratitude before it gets us to the point of walking away. The older brother may just as well have left the father as he seems to have only two viable reasons for having stayed, money and duty, and love does not enter the picture at all. He is not remotely thankful or merciful and his sins against the father are as grievous as the younger. The only cure is thankfulness cultivated as a lifestyle.

Count it all joy when you face testing. My prayer life doesn’t look like that. Testing generally doesn’t bring joy to me. James goes all Ecclesiastes on us in this passage in verses 9-11 by reminding us that the things of earth are nothing but dust. They are to be enjoyed but not valued as they are indeed signs that point to the one who is eternal, the one who created all these things we love and appreciate. James sees sin as what is sometimes referred to as a gateway drug, one little one will lead to further degradation and ultimately to death. We must be vigilant against two things in particular, temptation and sin. We must deal with them ruthlessly lest they get a foothold in our lives and we find ourselves in that foreign land as the Prodigal did.

The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want.
He makes me lie down in green pastures.
He leads me beside still waters.
He restores my soul.
He leads me in paths of righteousness
for his name’s sake.
Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death,
I will fear no evil,
for you are with me;
your rod and your staff,
they comfort me.
You prepare a table before me
in the presence of my enemies;
you anoint my head with oil;
my cup overflows.
Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me
all the days of my life,
and I shall dwell in the house of the LORD
forever.