Lost

Luke 15:1-3, 11-32

Dorothy Sorrell

We have heard this parable many times as pastors preach about the lost son, the loving father and the resentful older brother. In addition to verbal interpretations of the story, there are artists’ depictions of the narrative, and this is where Jerry Evenrud enters my thinking about the parable. Jerry is best known for his gift of music, having been Director of Music of the American Lutheran Church and later the ELCA. But for several years, he has also had a great interest in collecting and exhibiting more than two hundred pieces of fine art that express the timeless and universal theme of the Prodigal Son. It was during two of Jerry’s classes that I began to marvel at how the story could be told by color, positioning of people, ornateness and simplicity.

Recently I was happy to learn of a book that has been published containing pictures of fifty-two works of art from Jerry’s collection, along with essays and commentaries. Looking through the book, all the familiar characters are there - the lost son in his despair and return, the father in his warm and enthusiastic reception, the older brother in his anger and begrudging attitude. There are also the circumstances of receiving generous gifts, using and misusing these gifts, being lost and being found.

The book ends, as does the parable, with the homecomings. Plural, because there are three: the prodigal son returning home after thinking he didn’t want to be there, the father returning home with his lost son to celebrate their reunion, and the older brother returning home and learning that his life has changed. We don’t know what happens to the men after this reunion. What we do know is that they return to the home and a loving father. As an introduction to this last section of the book there is a quote from Helmut Thielicke’s book, “The Waiting Father”. In part it reads, “The ultimate secret of this story is this: There is a homecoming for us all, because there is a home.”

So now I come to the title of Jerry’s book. For me, it provides the understanding of how we (once lost) have come to be welcomed to that special home, our Father’s house. The book is called And Grace Will Lead Me Home.

PRAYER: Heavenly Father, you have created us and given us this, your earth, as a place in which to live. We know, however, that our true home is with you and that despite our failings and at times being lost, you will welcome us to come live with you. Thank you for all the blessings you give us each day through your eternal love for us. Help us to show your love to others. In Christ’s name we pray. Amen.

Little Ones

Matthew 21:33-46

Annette Brady

This parable has six main characters: the landowner-God, the vineyard-Israel, the first tenant/farmers-the Jewish religious leadership, the landowner’s servants-the prophets who remained obedient and preached God’s word to the people of Israel, the son-Jesus, and the second tenants - us. In this parable, the landowner sends his servants to collect his portion of the harvest. They are cruelly rejected by the first tenants; some are beaten, stoned, and even killed. Then he sends even more the second time, and they receive the same treatment. Ultimately, the landowner sends his own son, believing that they will surely respect him. But the tenants believe that if they kill the son, they will receive his inheritance.

Jesus now asks the question, what will the owner do to the evil tenants? Jesus leaves open the question of what Israel’s leadership is going to do with the Son of God, which he refers to as the "cornerstone," the foundation of the church. The parable is explaining how Jesus will be rejected by the religious establishment and crucified.

The key to understanding this parable and what it says about the religious leaders is found where Jesus tells the leaders that, because of their disobedience, they will be left out of the Kingdom of heaven. He is saying that there will be a new people of God so that Jesus can establish his church. It will usher in a period of time where man will understand forgiveness of sins by the work of Christ on the cross.

Jesus continues the stone metaphor to show how a stone can be used to build something beautiful, such as his church, or it can be used to crush and destroy. This could be likened to God’s word -- to some it is salvation, peace and comfort. To others it is foolish and disconcerting because of its ability to convict man of his sins.

The chief priests are jealous of Jesus’ popularity with the common people. They realize that Jesus is talking about them. They understand the analogy of the son and that Jesus is referring to himself. The people think of Jesus as a prophet from God. Arresting Him could cause an uprising. And an uprising would jeopardize the leader’s relationship with the Roman authorities.

I apply this parable to my life by asking two questions. First, have I come to know Christ, or have I rejected him like the Jewish leadership did? Second, if I am a believer, what have I done with Jesus? Am I like the bad tenants, rejecting his Word and living a life of disobedience?

Like the tenants, we are free to choose, but we remain accountable to God. This story is a failure of stewardship and responsibility. The religious leaders failed to properly care for God’s people. They were entrusted with the care of the vineyard and mistakenly regarded it as their private business. We should be careful not to become so personally attached to a particular asset, lest worldly ideas replace those of the Holy Spirit. Any of us, with the best of intentions, can hinder God’s work and lose God’s will for our lives. To me, it is important to remember that we are trustees of God’s property in all areas of life and never its owner. We must give to others with the same generosity that God has generously and compassionately given to us. God generously provides for our welfare, is patient with our mistakes, and constantly appeals for us to change our ways. If you, as a parent, do not follow God wholeheartedly, how can you lead your children into obedient faith?

Being a good steward for me not only means being generous with others materially, but also being generous with my time. To me, where you spend your time most is really where your heart is. This is something I really struggle with. I am a very competitive person, and sometimes I get so caught up in learning a new technology or completing some milestone, that I forget about what really matters. I worry so much about how I appear that I overlook what is most important. As a result, I do not devote my time to things that I know I should as God's steward. Further, I use my abilities for things that are in my own self interest and not God's. I get the context of the message; I just don't always practice it.

As I get older, I have become keenly aware of my impact on others. The most specific impact I have is on my children. If I cannot, generously and compassionately, give my time to God's message, what legacy have I passed on to my children? More specifically, what tools have I given to them for spiritual survival? It is important to me to remember that as parental leaders, we are our children's first teachers.

PRAYER: Lord, giver of all, we enjoy greater privileges than Israel had and a higher standard of living than most in the world. Help us to bear the fruit that we should, and show our thankfulness to you by offering praises from the heart and by helping those who are in need. Help us to live a life devoted to your Word by giving of our time and our possessions compassionately and with empathy to others. Help us to be mindful not only of our actions, but of the impact of our actions on those around us.

In The Desert

Jeremiah 17:5-10

Prue Welsh

Much of the time Jeremiah lived in Judah, where God's people were not faithful. They did not put their trust in God to take care of them.

I am sure God is annoyed with us today. With so much knowledge at our fingertips, it is too easy to rely on the "experts" or on ourselves in difficult times, instead of relying on God. But no matter how much knowledge we have, we cannot know what God knows. We all need to be reminded that God has the answers, and we need to have faith in Him, ask for His help and learn how to hear and understand God's response. I pray every day for God's help with this.

PRAYER: Lord, you always know what is best for us. Please help us to trust you with our troubles and uncertainty and to learn to hear, understand and listen to you. Amen.

In Need

Psalm 31

Bill Carbaugh

Our enemies often seem abstract – terrorists on TV; thugs who commit terrible crimes – yet we fortunately live (for the most part) safe from those evils. In fact, as I sat to read the Psalm and write this meditation, I encountered computer problems and became distressed - my computer, or worse yet, Dell, was my enemy. As I meditated on the Psalm (while on hold for my computer problem), I calmed down and thought perhaps that my enemies are those things that distract me from the Lord and His saving love. The Psalm is quite clear where we should turn in times of distress – the Lord is our “refuge”, we need to “trust in the Lord”, he is our “rock and our fortress”. The Lord will deliver us from the hand of our enemies and has wondrously shown his steadfast love to us – now and forevermore!

PRAYER: Dear God, We encounter enemies each day and find ourselves too often in distress. Be with us this Lenten Season and throughout the year. Be our Rock and our Refuge. For you are a loving father, with your arms always extended to lend a helping hand to your children. Deliver us from the hands of our enemies and save us from the nets we become trapped in. May your steadfast love be with us now and always. In your loving name we pray. Amen.

On Your Knees

Isaiah 1:10, 16-20

Gary Peterson

In these powerful verses of Isaiah, the Lord is saying that only through obedience to Him are we able to enjoy the good things that life offers. Isaiah says that a day is coming when “human pride will be ended and human arrogance destroyed…” On that day the Lord alone will be exalted.

Jill and I lost our son Scott in October 1987. Then we lost most of our net worth in the recession from 1990-1992. But with God’s help, I was able to focus, not on losses, but upon all the many blessings which God had bestowed upon me. In this time of recession/depression, I believe that it is a good time for all of us to reflect upon, and be grateful for, all the blessings that God has given us! I am certain that no member from Christ the King will miss a meal or sleep out in the cold at night. So at times like these, we need to do even more to reach out our hands and help the people who do have such problems!

PRAYER: Lord, keep us mindful of the words of Isaiah that say exalting you and seeking your guidance will bring out the best in us! Amen.

Look Beyond

Daniel 9:4-10

Tom Cooper

To sin is to do something wrong or to disobey. The Lord has given us the rules of living right, and parents give us guidance and rules to obey in youth. But when we do not follow these rules, we land in trouble and then look for mercy.

Sometimes we sin without knowing it, either by our own ignorance or because of immersion in our own interests. I've said or done hurtful things on impulse to others, including the people I love the most. It is very hard to swallow pride and apologize. But without asking forgiveness it is even harder to continue on.

I am writing these thoughts on Ground Hog Day (I am embarrassed to say my thoughts were due yesterday to the editor -- I suffered from writer's block). In the movie, Ground Hog Day, starring Bill Murray as Phil Conners, the character is able to relive the same day over and over again. At first, Phil's dark side comes out by stealing, philandering and drinking. But eventually he finds a purpose in helping others avoid painful or hurtful situations by intervening in their lives, on the day that he has witnessed over and over again.

I believe that God gives us mercy so that we can start over. We can put our disobedience and sins behind us. And like Phil Conners, we are given a chance to find a purpose for our lives by doing things right. God knows that we are not always going to do things right the first or second time. We need a constant rebirth in order to live a Christian life.

When we pray, "forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us," we are asking for mercy. We are also praying that we grant mercy to others who have done us wrong. I believe that Jesus is teaching us something very important. When we forgive others, we let go and move on and are reborn to live a Christian life. This is God's gift of mercy.

Our sinfulness is unavoidable. Despite this burden, God's mercy shows us a way to turn sin around and move on to a better way.

PRAYER: Dear Lord, help me open my eyes to see my sin and the power of your mercy. Help me to change as you lead me. Help me to act in kindness and compassion as you do for me. Amen.

Generosity

Romans 8:31-34

Kathy Zimmerman

During the Great Depression my grandfather was responsible for a household that included his wife, sister and fourteen children. They lived on a small farm in central Virginia, and the house of the nearest neighbor was about a half mile away. I never got to meet my grandfather, but through my mother, I feel like I got to know him. She has often told me how he would tell his family “If God is for us, who then can be against us? With a God so generous with his love that he would give his only son to die that we might be saved, surely there is no force that we need fear.” My mother has also told me about the challenges of growing up during a depression, and with fondness she relays how they rose to meet those challenges. In particular, she likes to recall how the people in her rural community helped each other, always generous with their time and their possessions. If one neighbor was down or sick and couldn’t bring in his crops, the other neighbors were there to help, even though they had to bring in their own crop as well. And all of this was at a time absent modern conveniences like dry cleaners, cell phones, carry-out restaurants and microwave ovens.

In Romans 8:31-34, Paul reminds us of the greatest generosity ever known, a father’s sacrifice of his heavenly son to save his earthly children. I don’t know how we could ever match the love of God, but certainly it would be pleasing to him if we showed the same generosity to our neighbors as our relatives did in harder times than we have now.

PRAYER: Dear Lord, please help those with plenty to be generous with those who are in need. Amen.