Amazingly Reckless
But the father said to his bond servants, Bring quickly the best robe (the festive robe of honor) and put it on him; and give him a ring for his hand and sandals for his feet.
And bring out that [wheat-]fattened calf and kill it; and let us revel and feast and be happy and make merry,
Because this my son was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found! And they began to revel and feast and make merry.
--Luke 15:22-24 Amplified
Oh, the overwhelming, never-ending, reckless love of God
Oh, it chases me down, fights 'til I'm found, leaves the ninety-nine
I couldn't earn it, and I don't deserve it, still, You give Yourself away...
Whenever this song comes on my car radio I like to turn up the volume and sing as loud as my tired old vocal chords will allow. Co-written and recorded by Cory Asbury, these beautiful lyrics are testament to the unconditional love God has for His children, describing in powerful lengths the means He will use to reach that one lost soul. On more days than I care to talk about that lost soul has been me. To think that He was not willing for me to remain lost, that even when, just like the prodigal son, I was neck deep in pig slop or, as with the older brother, on my holy high horse wondering why my "faithfulness" was or wasn't accepted or acknowledged He was there watching and waiting, sometimes running. But all the time He was watching, waiting, willing to receive me as His again.
Come to think of it, these lyrics might also be testament to the heart of the father of these two brothers Jesus speaks of in Luke chapter 11. Shunned and rejected by the younger son who stands with his hand out with the rest of him eager to get out from under the rules of the house, he watches daily for a sign of any kind that his baby boy is on his way home. He goes about his every day business but, writing this as a parent, I'm beyond certain his thoughts never strayed from his son. Was he okay? Was he living well? Was he healthy? Was he even still alive? If so, was he thinking of him as well? Was his goodbye forever?
Did he ever think about the day his son left home? I'm pretty sure he did though Scripture does not delve into this part. Again, speaking as a parent, I believe he may have replayed that moment his son came to him asking for his inheritance and shortly after made tracks to a country completely unknown to him the way we may replay a favorite CD track. Perhaps his father begged him not to go. Perhaps he pleaded with his son for wisdom. He knew his son was in no way prepared for what was lying in wait for him beyond the front door. But he also knew he could not keep him home. He had to let go and he did. Except for in his heart; there is where he held tight and fast to his boy and the hope of his return.
Then one day it happens. The father is out tending to his list of chores when down the road he sees...could it be...is it...his son! His heart and mind must have been overwhelmed with a myriad of thoughts and feelings and emotions as he dropped what he was doing and ran to him, scooping him up in his arms. He has no idea what his son has been through He has no idea how his fortune has been burned through and that the boy had become a dining partner with swine. What he does know is that at long last his boy is home!
He doesn't wait to hear the speech that's been prepared. He doesn't give the lad time to utter the words that have been rehearsed over and over, asking for him to be made as a servant. What happens instead? "Bring quickly the best robe (the festive robe of honor) and put it on him; and give him a ring for his hand and sandals for his feet.
Oh, it chases me down, fights 'til I'm found, leaves the ninety-nine
I couldn't earn it, and I don't deserve it, still, You give Yourself away...
Whenever this song comes on my car radio I like to turn up the volume and sing as loud as my tired old vocal chords will allow. Co-written and recorded by Cory Asbury, these beautiful lyrics are testament to the unconditional love God has for His children, describing in powerful lengths the means He will use to reach that one lost soul. On more days than I care to talk about that lost soul has been me. To think that He was not willing for me to remain lost, that even when, just like the prodigal son, I was neck deep in pig slop or, as with the older brother, on my holy high horse wondering why my "faithfulness" was or wasn't accepted or acknowledged He was there watching and waiting, sometimes running. But all the time He was watching, waiting, willing to receive me as His again.
Come to think of it, these lyrics might also be testament to the heart of the father of these two brothers Jesus speaks of in Luke chapter 11. Shunned and rejected by the younger son who stands with his hand out with the rest of him eager to get out from under the rules of the house, he watches daily for a sign of any kind that his baby boy is on his way home. He goes about his every day business but, writing this as a parent, I'm beyond certain his thoughts never strayed from his son. Was he okay? Was he living well? Was he healthy? Was he even still alive? If so, was he thinking of him as well? Was his goodbye forever?
Did he ever think about the day his son left home? I'm pretty sure he did though Scripture does not delve into this part. Again, speaking as a parent, I believe he may have replayed that moment his son came to him asking for his inheritance and shortly after made tracks to a country completely unknown to him the way we may replay a favorite CD track. Perhaps his father begged him not to go. Perhaps he pleaded with his son for wisdom. He knew his son was in no way prepared for what was lying in wait for him beyond the front door. But he also knew he could not keep him home. He had to let go and he did. Except for in his heart; there is where he held tight and fast to his boy and the hope of his return.
Then one day it happens. The father is out tending to his list of chores when down the road he sees...could it be...is it...his son! His heart and mind must have been overwhelmed with a myriad of thoughts and feelings and emotions as he dropped what he was doing and ran to him, scooping him up in his arms. He has no idea what his son has been through He has no idea how his fortune has been burned through and that the boy had become a dining partner with swine. What he does know is that at long last his boy is home!
He doesn't wait to hear the speech that's been prepared. He doesn't give the lad time to utter the words that have been rehearsed over and over, asking for him to be made as a servant. What happens instead? "Bring quickly the best robe (the festive robe of honor) and put it on him; and give him a ring for his hand and sandals for his feet.
And bring out that [wheat-]fattened calf and kill it; and let us revel and feast and be happy and make merry,
Because this my son was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found!"
Of course the noise of the celebration was not lost on the older brother. When he found out that baby brother was home and that the party was for him he was less than thrilled. You might say he was a bit on the ticked off side. After all, who stayed and who left? Who helped to keep the family going while the other squandered it all? Who was the seemingly dedicated and loyal one while the other turned his back? His anger was such that he refused to go and take part in celebrating his brother's return.
How the love of the father ran deep! After being angrily confronted by his elder son, his reply is a beautiful and comforting witness to mercy, forgiveness, and compassion. Verses 31 and 32 have this to say:
And the father said to him, Son, you are always with me, and all that is mine is yours.
But it was fitting to make merry, to revel and feast and rejoice, for this brother of yours was dead and is alive again! He was lost and is found!
Think about that...
He was dead...and is alive...
He was lost...and is found...
Now make it more personal...
Say this:
I was dead...and am now alive
I was lost...and now am found!
because....
There's no shadow You won't light up
Mountain You won't climb up
Coming after me
There's no wall You won't kick down
Lie You won't tear down
Coming after me
No judgement. No ridicule. No keeping score. He is an "I don't care what you've done; welcome home" type of Father!
Mountain You won't climb up
Coming after me
There's no wall You won't kick down
Lie You won't tear down
Coming after me
No judgement. No ridicule. No keeping score. He is an "I don't care what you've done; welcome home" type of Father!
Amazingly reckless, isn't it?
Father God, may I be as such!
Father God, may I be as such!
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