Tuesday, October 13, 2009
Let's Talk About L.O.V.E (Part 2)
A Father’s Love
We know the ending – the prodigal son was reconciled with his father and he was recognized as a son of the household, not as a servant.
His father saw him walking back towards the house when he was still a distance away and ran excitedly towards him, hugged and kissed him, an act that said – I forgive and accept you. In addition, his father gave him 5 things:
1. Best robe (which belongs to the father) - The robe of the father covered the prodigal’s son “ugliness”. Remember he was a pig farmer before coming home. He must have looked and smelt real bad. The servants were probably gossiping about him and wondering where the stench was coming from. When they see the prodigal son in their master’s best robe, they would know better than to be rude toward him.
This robe is a robe of righteousness. When donned upon, the prodigal son was made righteous again. This is just like how God the Father gave us His best robe – Jesus Christ - whose blood covered the ugliness of our sins and made us righteous.
2. Ring - A ring is like a credit card today. When the father gives this to his son he is really telling his son “Your name is as good as mine”.
Think about it, would you be guarantor for someone with a BAD credit history?
3. Sandals - In the past only masters/sons wear sandals. So the father is telling the son – I will not take you as my servant but you will return as my son.
(Weisheng drew a parallel between Moses, who took off his sandals on holy ground, and the prodigal son who was given sandals. This means that the son was made righteous to be able to wear sandals in his father’s house)
4. Fatted calf - The calf was killed so that they could make merry. The father was trying to cheer this very regretful and sorrowful son up. Wear a smile that lights up your whole town!
5. Music & dance - People often use music and dance to express their emotions when words fail. They’re an avenue of release. It’s also a celebration of the reconciled relationship.
In theology, five is the number that signifies grace.
The father of the prodigal son could have just said, “Son, I forgive and accept you. Now go get washed up and dressed”. But he went through the trouble of personally bestowing him with the five items, making it loud and clear for all to hear. This is all to make the prodigal son feel WORTHY. Now that’s what love and grace is all about!
Of Sin & Love
We’ve heard so many times that the wages of sin is death. Yet it may not have occurred to us that the immediate effect of sin is not death. When Adam ate of the apple, he did not die immediately. Neither was he plagued with diseases. Adam HID from God.
That in itself already provides a huge hint: The immediate effect of sin is the feeling of unworthiness, a sense of condemnation!
In less than six seconds or realistically close to four seconds, we judge and evaluate every single person we encounter for the first time. When we “*condition” a relationship rather than allowing the abundant love of God to flow through, we’re placing a restriction on it. In other words, we’re putting a lid on the relationship and not allowing it to grow/flourish.
*condition = Labeling a person as having bad attitude, wrong frequency, etc
Remember that the worthiness our friend feels come from us. The more love and grace we’ve experienced in our lives, the more we’re able to release it over another person.
To sum up, I have to again quote my favourite song in my favourite movie “Love lifts us up where we belong.”
Love never fails.
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