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The Bible reading for this day is The Parable OF The Lost Son :heartbeat: :rose: :rose:

''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.'' Luke 15: 11-12 :rose:

''Not long after that, the younger son got together all he had, set off for a distant couontry and there squandered his wealth in wild living.'' (13) :rose:

''After he had spent everything, there was a severe famine in that whole country, and he began to be in need.'' (14) :rose:

''So he went and hired himself out to a citizen of that country, who sent him to his fields to feed pigs.'' (15) :rose:

''He longed to fill his stomach with the pods the pigs were eating, but no one gave him anything.'' (16) :rose:

''When he came to his senses, he said, ''How many of my father's hired men have food to sapre, and here I am starving to death!'' (17)
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''I will set out and go back to my father and say to him: ''Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you.'' (18) :rose:

''I am no longer worthy to be called your son; make me like one of your hired men.'' (19) :rose:

''So he got up and went to his father.'' :rose:

''But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and was filled with compasion for him; he ran to his son, threw his arms around him and kissed him.'' (20) :rose: :rose:

''The son said to him, ''Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son.'' (21)
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''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.'' (22) :rose:

'' Bring the fatted calf and kill it. Let's have a feast and celebrate.'' (23) :rose: :rose:

''For this son of mine was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.'' So they began to celebrate.'' (24) :rose:

''Meanwhile, the older son was in the field. When he came near the house, he heard music and dancing.'' (25) :rose:

''So he called one of the servants and asked him what was going on.'' (26) :rose: :rose:

''Your brother has come,'' he replied, ''and your father has killed the fatted calf because he has him back safe and sound.'' (27) :rose:

''The older brother became angry and refused to go in. So his father went out and pleaded with him.'' (28) :rose:

''But he answered his father, ''Look! All these years I've been slaving for you and never disobeyed your orders. Yet you never gave me even a young goat so I could celebrate with my friends.'' (29) :rose:

''But when this son of yours who has squandered your property with prostitutes comes home, you kill the fatted calf for him!'' (30) :rose:

''My son.'' the father said, 'you are always with me, and everything I have is yours. But we celebrate and be glad, because this brother of yours was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.'' (31-32)
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An amazing parable and tool for teaching and a great parable brought to life:heartbeat: :rose: :rose:

There was a time I read this simply as it is--a family reunited after extreme heartache. The father rejoicing for the return of a lost son--the youngest son learning the hard way that maybe his father knew best after all. His lessons took him to the lowest point he could go when he envied the food of the pigs whom you know were the most repulsive animals for him. ANd then I got thinking about the older brother and his inability to rejoice in his brother's return. He feels jealous of this father's joy and attention he gives his young brother--where is his own love for his brother? and so I thought about the bigger picture--the human side of all of this and who we might identify with.... :rose:

the father with his arms open wide to embrace the child that was returning to the family........(I see God and Christ in this) :rose:

the lost son who now was returning to the warmth and love of his family after he hit bottom .....( I see humanity here and the human condition) :rose:

the oldest son who had no joy in him for the return of a brother he felt didn't deserve a second chance.....(I see not only human nature but also a Pharisee attitude where it is by the book--no left turns or right but straight ahead--no mercy, no compassion, black and white attitude) :rose:

then I was thinking how like God it is to rejoice with the returning son :heartbeat: and how wonderfully this is depicted :heartbeat:

a further thought: :heartbeat: :rose:

The Parable of The Lost Coin: :rose:

''Or suppose a woman has ten silver coins and loses one. Does she not light a lamp, sweep the house and search carefully until she finds it." And when she finds it, she calls her friends and neighbors together and says, ''Rejoice with me; I have found my lost coin.' In the same way, I tell you, there is rejoicing in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner who repents.'' Luke 15: 8-10 :heartbeat: :rose:

and a final thought on the precious value of that which is lost :heartbeat: :rose:

''Jesus said to him, ''Today salvation has come to this house, because this man, too, is a son of Abraham. For the Son of Man came to seek and save what was lost.'' Luke 19: 9, 10

(Never underestimate the power of the parable) :love:

love you all friends and hope you are enduring the heat well...I am a wilted wolfie on the other hand..... :heartbeat:

Thanks for that, wilted woofs.:thumbsup:

One thing I'd like to add is this: Even taken without explanation, Jesus' parables taught some pretty awesome lessons in compassion, forgiveness and recovery.

Here another thing I'm starting to see about these parables. They were a way of making a bridge between those who adhered to the old Law covenant and those who would be brought into the New covenant.

Those who were 'locked in' to the law of Moses looked down on those who fell down in their eyes -- not keeping the Law as they did.

"Therefore the officers went back to the chief priests and Pharisees, and the latter said to them: “Why is it YOU did not bring him in?” The officers replied: “Never has [another] man spoken like this.” In turn the Pharisees answered: “YOU have not been misled also, have YOU? Not one of the rulers or of the Pharisees has put faith in him, has he? But this crowd that does not know the Law are accursed people.” -- John 7:45-49

The prodigal's father welcomed his repentant son back with rejoicing. How like our heavenly Father who welcomes us into the New covenant through Christ Jesus.

The parable leaves it open as to how the older son eventually responded. Some of the Pharisaical attitude still made itself known in the first century congregation as is told at Acts 15:1:

"And certain men came down from Ju·de′a and began to teach the brothers: “Unless YOU get circumcised according to the custom of Moses, YOU cannot be saved.”

The account gets more specific further along in verse 5 where we read:

"Yet, some of those of the sect of the Pharisees that had believed rose up from their seats and said: “It is necessary to circumcise them and charge them to observe the law of Moses.”

Yet, we know that Jehovah welcomed the Gentile believers into the New covenant even though they had not slaved under the Law covenant.

''But he answered his father, ''Look! All these years I've been slaving for you and never disobeyed your orders...."

Truly, mercy triumphs over judgment!

love,
Rez:siskiss: