EXTRAORDINARY
LOVE: Devotion for Wednesday July 27, 2016
Text:
Luke 15:11 – 32
Memory
verse: Luke 15:24 - For this my son was dead and is alive again; he was lost
and is found.' And they began to be merry.
The parable of the prodigal son shows what is
expected of us in repentance, and the Lord's readiness to welcome and bless all
who return to Him. It fully sets forth the riches of gospel of grace – the
extra ordinary love of God. This young man took a decision to go back to the
father and acted on it. “But when he was still a great way off, his father saw
him and had compassion, and ran and fell on his neck and kissed him” – Luke
15:20b. The father immediately restored this destitute and humbled young man as
his son. “This represents the readiness with which God receives returning
sinners. To be saved, men must not only resolve, but they must return to God;
taking all the blame and shame of their departure to themselves, and ascribing
righteousness to Him, they must surrender all their interests for time and
eternity to His care, guidance, and disposal” as Family Bible Note opined.
The sheep was lost because it may have
foolishly wandered away (15:4); the coin was lost through no fault of its own
(15:8); and the son left out of selfishness (15:12). God’s great love reaches
out and finds sinners no matter why or how they got lost. His concern is to bring
them back into the sheep fold. Beloved, have you ever wondered why God has
showed so much love on you despite your weaknesses? Does it make any sense to you
that God’s love
for you is unconditional? What steps can you take to reciprocate this extra
ordinary love of God for you? Reciprocating God’s love can be done in so many
ways; through more commitment to God’s work, selfless service, through
love for humanity, etc. It will be great injustice if we neglect and fail to
appreciate the love of God for us. This starts when we accept His work on the Calvary,
repent of our sins and accept Jesus Christ as our Lord and Saviour.
Food
for Thought:
Job 7:17 and Psalm 8:4
Prayer: God, may I never fail to reciprocate your love for me. Help me to serve you out of love and gratitude for loving me despite my sins.
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