In Due Time

Living in the present moment.  Enough said. 

Have your blessing arrived?  Have you arrived at the palace you want to be?  Are you longing for something else? 

If there is one thing I have learned in life, it’s that you need to live in the present moment.  If your happiness is somewhere off in the distance you will never reach it. 

The story of the prodigal son is a familiar one to many of us.  For those of you who are in the Thursday evening discussion group it is also very fresh because it was the subject of our study for an entire week.  I often pause before preparing a message on texts that are very familiar.  Texts such as these have been preached on and studied with great intensity and I feel humbled as I approach the task thinking, “What could I possibly add?”

That question, that moment of doubt is where the devil works.  The idea that we have nothing to add to the life of the church; to the family of God is completely contrary to the witness of scripture.  Each one of us has been given spiritual gifts meant solely for the building up of the Body of Christ, the church. 

I usually ask this question at the end but I am going to ask it now:  How is it with you today?  How is the devil convincing you to step aside? How are you being discouraged from giving yourself completely to the building of His kingdom? 

Now that I am in my 40s it’s a little different. But when I first felt the call to ministry, I was in my 20s. I thought, “How could I be a pastor.”  I knew I didn’t have the knowledge or the life experience to do what thought a pastor should do.  I say it’s a little different.  I still am in awe of the experience, knowledge and wisdom that is gathered in this sanctuary every Sunday through all of you, and I think “What could I possibly add?”

Then God says, “you will see, in due time.”

Jeremiah 1 says, “The Lord said to me, before I formed you in your mother’s womb I chose you. Before you were born I set you apart. I appointed you to be a prophet to the nations. I answered, “Oh, Lord God, I really do not know how to speak well enough for that, for I am too young.” The Lord said to me, “Do not say, ‘I am too young.’ But go to whomever I send you and say whatever I tell you.” 

I may have been too young but I went anyway.  I love the story of King David. I especially like the story of his victory over Goliath. In 1 Sam 17. David was discouraged by his family.  David was mocked by his enemy. But through faith in God and the use of the skills that God gave him he defied human logic and won the victory.  And he was just a boy.

Perhaps being too young is not a problem of yours.  Genesis 18:13 “The Lord said to Abraham, “why did Sarah laugh and say, ‘will I really have a child when I am old?’ Is anything impossible for the Lord? I will return to you when the season comes round again and Sarah will have a son.”

“I’m too young.  I’m too old. I’m to this and I am too that.” These are all distractions and discouragement from the evil one.  What is God telling you this morning?

In our Gospel lesson this morning we read about Jesus telling a story about a Father and two sons.  The one son, knowing that he was an heir of his father’s estate thought that he could have a lot more enjoyment out of life if he had his share immediately.  So he asked for it. He took it. He spent it.

The other son was dutiful to his father.  He worked without complaining until the day his father threw a party for this brother who had spent his share and was now back home.

The Father represents God and the sons represent how we fail in our understanding of ourselves as children of God.

The son that took his inheritance early is like every one of us on any given day that thinks we can do without God’s council.  When we do things our way instead of God’s way.  When we give in to temptation; when we do what we should not do and when we do not do what we know we ought to do. Then time after time when we “come to ourselves” as the younger son did in Jesus’s story we return to God the Father.  And even before we think we are close, God comes running and throws his arms around us and welcomes us home. 

We can also be like the other brother, can’t we?  Putting our nose to the grindstone; getting the work done; carrying the load.  All the while resenting it a little bit.  All the while wanting recognition for all the hard work. 

What both sons failed to see was that the inheritance, the blessings were always there for both of them.  They just couldn't see it. When the younger son got to the end of his rope the only thing he wanted was to be home with his family.  He was willing to work as a servant just to be there. 

When the father had the talk with the older son, he said, “what is mine is yours.” The father never held back anything.  Both sons were selfish in their own way.  The Blessing was found in the company of one’s family. The blessing in the story is being in the loving presence of the father.  Sometimes it’s hard to see the blessing when you are swimming in it.

1 Corinthians 13:11 When I was a child, I talked like a child; I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. But when I became an adult, I set aside childish ways.  For now we see in a mirror indirectly, but then we will see face to face.  Now I know in part, but then I will know fully, just as I have been fully known.

We are fully known.  We are abundantly blessed.  As the children of God we are in his presence. 

God doesn’t care much about your chronological age or your perceived limitations. God is looking for his children to finally come to themselves and return home.  It doesn’t matter of you are young or old but God is looking for the mature Christian that can recognize the blessing of being in His presence. 

As you look around this sanctuary, realize that everyone here is like the brother that left and has now returned.  We have all made mistakes. We have all failed in some way, but each one of us here has made a decision to turn back and once again, and chose to be in God’s presence. 

So, how is it with you today?  How will you welcome each other? As the Father or the older brother?  Will you run out and love people without hesitation like the father did.  Will you celebrate with each other the decision to once again turn toward God?  We are swimming in God’s blessing.  May we always remember that and remind each other of that.