Devotional 18th April, 2021

RENEW REFRESH REFOCUS

CASNFCI SCRIPTURE & PRAYER FOR THE DAY

Fighting God’s will

The older brother became angry and refused to go in. . . . He answered his father, ‘Look! All these years I’ve been slaving for you and never disobeyed your orders. — Luke 15:28-29

The older brother was upset with his father’s decision. No matter how much the father pleaded with him, the older son refused to join the celebration. What a pity!

Like the Pharisees who served God out of a sense of duty, the older son had served his father not out of devotion but because he felt he had to. The Pharisees had complained that Jesus welcomed sinners and ate with them (Luke 15:2). Similarly, the older son grumbled about his father’s welcome of his corrupt younger brother who has come to his sense and genuinely repented.

Ever since he was young, he had worked on his father’s farm, without ever asking for any kind of recognition. But when his good-for-nothing brother came home penniless after squandering his inheritance, his father not only welcomed him with open arms but even put on a banquet to celebrate. It was too much.

The response of the older son is like a mirror for us to look at and examine ourselves. Do we serve the Lord with a loving heart? Do we worship him because we love Him, or out of a sense of duty? Do we give cheerfully or because it is expected of us? Are we willing, like God the Father, to forgive people in our lives who have hurt us? Do we understand that we are as much in need of forgiveness as the younger son, even though we may not have left for a distant country?

PRAYER

Father, help us to serve you with a loving heart and devotion, and to truly rejoice when a sinner comes back to you. In Jesus’ name Amen.

Rev. Isaac G. Y Bangalu Founder & CE

Couples & Singles Network for Christ Initiative

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