Imagine if the morning after the prodigal son returned home and everyone celebrated his return, he slept in. After he rolled out of bed at noon, asked cook to make him some breakfast and sorted through his walk-in closet of clothes and selected the right outfit, he then proceeded to walk around his father's fields, barns and workers announcing, " Did you know that I've returned home! Aren't you excited that I'm back? Did you miss me?"
In the light of the day after his party returning home, all the workers smiled and assured the young man that he had been missed around the homestead.
What if the next morning the young man rolled out of bed at noon, asked cook to make him some breakfast and sorted through his walk-in closet of clothes and selected the right outfit, he the proceeded to walk around his father's fields, barns and workers announcing, " Did you know that I've returned home! Aren't you excited that I'm back? Did you miss me?"
Again the workers would assure him that he was missed, but I'm sure they were beginning to wonder when he would begin to settle back into his role of actively being the son of the landowner.
Day three dawns and the young man continued his routine. He approaches a group of men working on digging fence posts with his usual greeting, "Did you know…"? The workers immediately stop their digging and say, "Yes we know you are back home, yes we missed you, but could you pick up the spare shovel and give us a hand? There is much work to do before the sun sets!"
Becoming a Christian is like responding to the invitation to enter God's home. It's like crossing through the front door of God's house. Crossing the threshold is just the beginning of salvation. There is an entire estate waiting for our investigation and involvement and maintenance. We are not invited to be guests, but to be family members involved in the work and daily experience of living as a community of Christ.
The prodigal son had to move beyond the celebration to working out his purpose and meaning in everyday life with his family. We also need to sort out our own purpose and continue with God past the threshold of salvation to the living rooms, the kitchens, the laundries, and pantries of his kingdom. We need to take the next step on our journey with God.
Mark 12:30-31 states, " 30Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.'[a] 31The second is this: 'Love your neighbor as yourself.'[b]There is no commandment greater than these."
Part of maturing in our faith is really coming to terms with the fact that yes – we have been missed by God if we have been playing the prodigal son/daughter; we are abundantly loved and cherished by our creator. That is part of knowing how to love others really, by understanding God's love for us. God wants to celebrate our return to him, but the experience of relationship with God does not stop there. Beyond the celebration is the call to love in return, to love our creator with everything we are and all we ever dream to be. Then as part of the growth and acceptance of God's love, returning that love to God and then expressing it in one of the most difficult ways possible. Loving others. This includes our neighbors, enemies, and friends, family the whole world really. This is the point where the shovel hits the dirt. When we actively, sincerely and honestly take up the work our creator has started and love the world around us: with our hearts, our soul, our mind, and all our strength.
How can we pick up our shovel if our hands are full of our own fears, anxieties, and questioning if the creator really love us? Have we forgotten God's forgiveness, love and grace? Much like the prodigal son, we must lay down our burdens, remember our own celebration and experience of salvation as we pick up the shovel and take on mature roles as God's children. We are the workers in God's field and our labor needs to express God's love so that those that haven't experienced it yet can have that opportunity.
God loves you, you have been missed, but can you pick up a spare shovel and give us a hand?
There is much love to share, work to do and hope to restore before the sun sets today.
Luke 10:2He told them, "The harvest is plentiful, but the workers are few. Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into his harvest field.
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