The Prodigal

I, therefore, the prisoner of the Lord, beseech you to walk worthy of the calling with which you were called, with all lowlines and gentleness, with longsuffering, bearing with one another in love, endeavoring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. there is ONE body, and ONE Spirit, jut as you werecalled in ONE hope of your calling; ONE Lord, ONE faith, ONE baptism; ONE God and ONE Father of all, Who is above all and through all and in you all. (Ephesians 4:1-6)

I often wonder what God sees in me and how He puts up with me. What about you? Do your sins get on your nerves? I imagine how I must frustrate God! Yet here Paul reminds me that I am His prisoner . . . His servant . . . yet also His son! As a Daddy, He is disappointed in me, but He is also ready and willing to accept me and call me to repentance daily. I am His prodigal son indeed!

Just as in my relationship with my bride and children, I must be willing to go to God humbly seeking His forgiveness. The more I realize how frail I am, the more I receive His grace to carry on. God desires oneness with His children. It is the same with family.

As a husband and father, I must not only offer grace and forgiveness, I must also seek it! I must go to my wife humbly asking for forgiveness. I must apologize to my children when I blow it. I must seek oneness within the family as God desires oneness within the Body of Christ.

Why does God put up with me? Why does my beautiful bride put up with me? It's all God's grace! Thank God for grace!