Grace Awakening

31 October 2008

Dear Prodigal,

As I begin to write this to you I want you to know that you are loved by more people than you realize.  The most important One is our Loving Father who provided the blood of His own Son to be our redemption from the penalty of sin.

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So he got up and came to his father.  But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and felt compassion for him, and ran and embraced him and kissed him.

Luke 15:20

Over the last few months this passage of Scripture has become very dear to me.  It is a passage that gives me great hope.  It is also a passage that moves me deeply.  It gives me a sure hope.

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As the deer pants for the water brooks, so my soul pants for You, O God.

Psalm 42:1

What do you desire?  What is that all consuming need that just has to be fulfilled for you to be satisfied?  Power?  Fame?  A spouse?  Money?  A position?  A car?  What is it?  Be honest with yourself.  It’s just you and God.  I’m not asking that you e-mail me and let me know what it is that you desire most.  I’m not even going to tell you what I desire most.  But think about it for a moment, down there in your heart of hearts.  Ask yourself, “What do I desire most?  What is my insatiable thirst?”  Let’s not pretend to be spiritual about this question.  Remember, it’s just you and God going over the answer.

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“. . . you were [] alienated and hostile in mind, engaged in evil deeds . . .”

Colossians 1:21

Have you ever lost your motivation to do something – work, exercise, write, loose weight, work, or just about anything else there is to do?  It seems that there is always something to motivate us to do what we need to do or to act in the way that we do.  Sometimes that motivation is out of love, out of fear, or out of anger.  So, if much of what we do is out of motivation, what is it that motivates you or I to walk the walk that is worthy of Jesus Christ and pleasing to God our Daddy?

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. . . so that He Himself will come to have the first place in everything.”

Colossians 1:18

A few days ago I was reading a devotional by Pastor Swindoll in which he was talking about Paul just after he had been blinded on the road to Damascus.  The Lord came to Ananias and told him to go to Paul and lay hands on him.  Ananias protested, but the Lord responded, “Go, for he is a chosen instrument of Mine, to bear My name before the Gentiles and kings and the sons of Israel; for I will show him how much he must suffer for My name’s sake.”  (Acts 9:15-16)  I had never before realized that Paul was promised suffering – not great fame or glory – in his ministry for the Lord Jesus.  Knowing that he was to suffer for the cause of Christ did not chase Paul from following and serving his Redeemer.

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Text: Colossians 1:13-19

. . . so that He Himself will come to have the first place in everything.”

Colossians 1:18

When my sons were younger and just learning how to get their seatbelts on by themselves, we would play a game with them to encourage them to put on their seatbelts without too much delay.  My boys still do that game with seatbelts and just about everything else.  Although, there are times when it goes from being the first to put on their seat belt or the first to the door to being second (usually when the other is about to be first).  Most of the time it is fun to watch the boys compete, but there are times when the race to be first gets a little out of hand.

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. . . so that you will walk in a manner worthy of the Lord, to please Him in all respects . . .

Colossians 1:10

One of my favorite things to do is to walk in the woods and just enjoy the woodland atmosphere.  It is especially relaxing to walk in the woods in the fall and to smell the season in the fallen leaves and the dying underbrush.  There are two ways to accomplish a woods walk.  I could be bold and just start tramping through the woods without the aid of a trail, or I could utilize the worn path that marks the trail that winds through the woods.  The wise and best choice is to utilize the path.  Just like we walk on certain paths – be they in the woods or in the city – we walk certain paths in our lives.

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