“Make me like one of your hired servants.”  — Luke 15:19

I am so thankful that this request from the Prodigal Son wasn’t granted.  When you read the story, the father didn’t even allow him to let those rehearsed words escape his mouth.  Had those words been granted, Christianity would be like all other religions . . . you’d have to earn your way to “better.”  I also wish that the people who put all the subtitles and section headings had put a little more thought into them.   “The Prodigal Son,” should be “The Son Who Came Home,” or something like that. 

Anyway, ever since the fall of man in the garden, we haven’t stopped trying to earn it anyway.  Adam hid himself from God after he had sinned, but not without first trying to make a covering for himself.  I hear an awful lot of people say that they need to change before they come back to God or get back in His “good graces.”  I have certainly thought this in the past, but once again, I’m so thankful He doesn’t allow stuff like that.  The truth is, He is the only one who is able to make those changes in us over time.  He is the vine; we are the branches.  He provides all the spiritual nutrients that make true and lasting change possible.

I have a great friend that I’ve been watching grow in the Lord since he was a teenager.  I was in my late 20’s or early 30’s when the conversations first started.  I certainly had my own massive amount of growing to do as well.  I have been incredibly blessed to experience, albeit in a much smaller way, what God experiences with each of His children.  I never tried to clean him up, and so far, I haven’t seen any effort from him to try to look any special way to impress God, the church crowd, me, or anyone.  He just simply believes, admits what he does and doesn’t know, and keeps on trying to get to know Him.  He even vehemently lets me know the parts of the Bible that he doesn’t like.  I often feel like one of our long conversations is worth 10 church services.  We both come out better on the other side, or at least different.

Here we are in the middle of Holy Week.  Tomorrow, Jesus will wash the feet of Judas.  Friday, Jesus will be beaten and nailed to a cross.  He showed us how to treat people . . . all people.  He also took the punishment for our sin so that we could immediately be back on speaking terms and not have to hide and sew fig leaves.  If you’re still trying to earn it, receive His forgiveness by trusting in Him.  Then, tell Him everything.

Lord, how different this world would be if You had never come.  Thank You for leaving the comfort of Heaven and coming down here and allowing us to treat You like we did.  Nobody else would have done such a thing.  I’m completely different now than I would have been had I never come to believe.  I simply ask You to help me, the friend I talked about, and all who read this to simply keep trusting You by faith.  Help us to keep getting to know You, keep letting You change us, and keep growing us until that glorious day when our faith becomes sight.  Thank You for making me Your son.  Use me to introduce a lot more people to You before my time is up.  Amen.