Christ Church Daily Devotion April 26 2024

The parable of the prodigal son is featured in today's devotion. The younger son asks for his inheritance, squanders it, and ends up in desperate need. He decides to return to his father, who welcomes him back with open arms. The older son is angry, but the father reminds him of the importance of grace. The main message is that regardless of our past mistakes, we can always turn to God for forgiveness and receive his grace. Welcome to Christchurch's daily devotion for April 26, 2024. Today we will be reading from Luke, chapter 15, verses 11 through 32. Jesus continued, There was a man who had two sons. The younger one said to his father, Father, give me my share of the estate. So he divided his property between them. Not long after that, the younger son got together. All he had set off for a distant country, and there squandered his wealth in wild living. After he had spent everything, there was a severe famine in that whole country, and he began to be in need. So he went and hired himself out to a citizen of that country who sent him to his fields to feed pigs. He longed to fill his stomach with the pods that the pigs were eating, but no one gave him anything. When he came to his senses, he said, How many of my father's hired servants have food to spare? And here I am starving to death. I will set out and go back to my father and say to him, Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son. Make me like one of your hired servants. So he got up and went to his father. But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and was filled with compassion for him. He ran to his son, threw his arms around him and kissed him. The son said to him, Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son. But the father said to his servants, Quick, bring the best robe and put it on him. Put a ring on his finger and sandals on his feet. Bring the fattened calf and kill it. Let's have a feast and celebrate. For this son of mine was dead and is alive again. He was lost and is found. So they began to celebrate. Meanwhile, the older son was in the field. When he came near the house, he heard music and dancing. So he called one of the servants and asked. He asked him, What was going on? Your brother has come home, he replied. And your father has killed the fattened calf because he has him back safe and sound. The older brother became angry and refused to go in. So his father went out and pleaded with him. But he answered his father, Look, all these years I've been slaving for you and never disobeyed your orders. Yet you never give me even a young goat so I could celebrate with my friends. But when this son of yours who has squandered your property with prostitutes comes home, you kill the fattened calf for him. My son, the father said, you are always with me and everything I have is yours. But we have to celebrate and be glad because this brother of yours was dead and is alive again. He was lost and now is found. It has been said that justice is getting what we deserve. Mercy is not getting what we deserve. Grace is getting more than we deserve. This parable is a great illustration of grace. Just like you, the younger son was given an inheritance. He was a member of the family. Perhaps just like you, he squandered it on wild living and bad choices. He lost everything. One day something within him awoke. What am I doing? Then he made a decision that changed his life forever. He went back. He went back to his father. You can do that too. Maybe you can't solve all of your problems or disentangle all your knots. You can't undo all the damage you've done. But you can go. You can go to your father. The father stands with open arms ready to receive you regardless of your past. The father extends grace, love, and peace to you. All you need to do is run into his arms. Your personal worship option is to reflect on your relationship with God. Trust God with your life and rejoice in the grace that fills your soul.