May. 12, 2008 - Mercy
I had the high honor of teaching on God's mercy yesterday. The text for we looked at was Luke 15. We talked about the Lost Son.
Here is the story. A dad has two sons. The younger son demands his inheritance and communicates very clearly his preference for possessions over his relationship with his dad. With rebellion and resources, he takes his 1/3 of the estate and leaves home. I wonder what that last conversation with the Dad was like? I wonder what that last conversation with his older brother was like?
So the younger son leaves with wealth, wastes everything in reckless living, and eventually ends up considering pig food as his best option. You can sense the spectre of death as the son seeks out farm labor and a famine worsens. He has nothing of value to offer anyone and no one has any concern for him.
Almost no one. At home the dad waits. And watches. If I close my eyes, I can see the dad's lips move as he prays for the lost son. At this point, the father does not know about the reckless living and the wasted wealth. He only knows that his beloved son is gone. He desires the relationship that has been lost. He loves the son. The possessions that went with the son are nothing compared to the relationship.
One morning as the dad goes to his normal spot to look for his son, the son appears on the horizon. It is this point in the story that is most difficult for me. I almost want the father to be a little angry with the son. I want the dad to yell a little or make the son grovel. Perhaps a "Where have you been?!" or "Where is all the stuff you left with?!" seems in order.
But the father chooses none of these options. Instead, he does what is unpredictable and seemingly unjust. The father sprints to the son and, without a word, embraces and kisses the son. The son tries to reason with his father, but never get through his rehearsed speech before the dad announces a party. And they celebrate that the son who was lost is lost no longer.
The son never gets what he deserves. He throws away everything that his dad gave to him in a rash of foolishness. And yet the father saw his undeserving son and felt compassion.
His lovingkindness endures forever.
Mercy.
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