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Jesus told a remarkable parable about two brothers. In the story, the younger brother takes all the money he can and runs off to some foreign land, lives a bad life and wastes everything. Then he repents and goes home.
His father is loving and gracious to him. Soon, the younger brother is back in the house having the time of his life. … But somebody is missing from the dining table: his older brother.
The father is so happy, but the older son is seething, refusing to go inside and celebrate. …
How do you explain this?
Even when the younger son was a rebel, his heart was knit with the affection of his father. So, when everything was gone, he said to himself, I can go to my father.
But for the older son, it was different. His relationship with his father was not one of father and son; rather, it was one of an employer and his employee. He was working for wages: respect, recognition and understanding. Even though he had the same possibilities as the younger son, his heart was not in a loving relationship with his father. The same thing can happen in our lives.
We can become so busy in ministry and in serving the Lord that we forget why we are doing it in the first place. In the end, we come to the place in which we are doing all the work for money, recognition, reputation, honor or whatever else. It’s all about what we get, not because of the affection of the Father, who sees us in secret.
But remember: Even when we lose our focus, or when we have failed or have become resentful in our service to Him, God in His kindness deals with us deep down in our hearts and reminds us that He is our Father. His mercies are new every morning, and He will run after us again and again. We are His beloved children, and we are safe in His hands.
Thank you so much for your support. It’s because of donors and partners like you that many others across the globe are experiencing and embracing the Father’s love. As you read the stories in this newsletter, may you be reminded of the Father’s love for you and why you love Him, why you serve Him, why you partner with GFA World to transform lives and communities through His love. God bless you.
Some of this material appeared on K.P. Yohannan’s blog on March 5, 2021. You can find the entire post and read more from K.P. at https://www.patheos.com/blogs/kpyohannan/
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