Several years ago, we took our son, Jonathan, to the store to buy a guitar. He'd wanted one for a long time, and so we decided to just surprise him. When we came home, he was so excited. He gave me a great big hug and said, "Daddy, I love you so much. Thank you so much for my guitar." Then he said, "By the way, Daddy, when can we go back and get that new keyboard?"
See, Jonathan knows how to come boldly. He's not shy. He knows how much I love him. He knows I delight in doing good things for him. As a father, it makes me happy when I can bless him and set him up and equip him to fulfill the desires of his heart. If you're a parent, you can imagine how you would feel if your kids went around all the time thinking, "You know what, I don't deserve anything. I make so many mistakes. Nobody's pleased with me. I can't do anything right." That'd break your heart. Imagine how God feels when we allow the enemy to heap guilt and condemnation on us? We go around feeling the wrong way about ourselves, and we hold back from receiving God's blessings.
I think of the story of the Prodigal Son. He made so many bad choices. He left his home and wasted all of his money. He ended up feeling so low and so desperate. He was living off of the very food that he had been feeding to the hogs in the hog pen. Finally, he decided he was just going to go back home. He thought, "Even the servants in my father's house are living better than I am today. Maybe Daddy will just hire me back as one of those servants." And you know the story. He headed back home and when his father saw him a long way off, he took off running. He gave his son a great big hug and was so excited to see him. But then the son started to explain, "Daddy, I've really blown it. I've wasted all my money. I know I don't deserve any of this, but maybe you can just take me back as one of your servants." His father said, "No way. You are not my servant; you are my son. You will always be my son. No matter what you ever do, you will always be a part of this family." And the father said to his servants, "Go kill the fatted calf. My son's come home. We're going to have a celebration." He said, "Somebody go put the best robe on his back, get the family ring and put it on his finger."
Maybe you've been living under a heavy load of guilt and condemnation way too long. Why don't you start the New Year out right? It's time for you to come boldly into His presence and receive His mercy. Know this: He is ready to receive you with open arms. It doesn't matter what you've done or where you've been, He is on the lookout for you. He is waiting to overwhelm you with His hand of blessing.
See, Jonathan knows how to come boldly. He's not shy. He knows how much I love him. He knows I delight in doing good things for him. As a father, it makes me happy when I can bless him and set him up and equip him to fulfill the desires of his heart. If you're a parent, you can imagine how you would feel if your kids went around all the time thinking, "You know what, I don't deserve anything. I make so many mistakes. Nobody's pleased with me. I can't do anything right." That'd break your heart. Imagine how God feels when we allow the enemy to heap guilt and condemnation on us? We go around feeling the wrong way about ourselves, and we hold back from receiving God's blessings.
I think of the story of the Prodigal Son. He made so many bad choices. He left his home and wasted all of his money. He ended up feeling so low and so desperate. He was living off of the very food that he had been feeding to the hogs in the hog pen. Finally, he decided he was just going to go back home. He thought, "Even the servants in my father's house are living better than I am today. Maybe Daddy will just hire me back as one of those servants." And you know the story. He headed back home and when his father saw him a long way off, he took off running. He gave his son a great big hug and was so excited to see him. But then the son started to explain, "Daddy, I've really blown it. I've wasted all my money. I know I don't deserve any of this, but maybe you can just take me back as one of your servants." His father said, "No way. You are not my servant; you are my son. You will always be my son. No matter what you ever do, you will always be a part of this family." And the father said to his servants, "Go kill the fatted calf. My son's come home. We're going to have a celebration." He said, "Somebody go put the best robe on his back, get the family ring and put it on his finger."
Maybe you've been living under a heavy load of guilt and condemnation way too long. Why don't you start the New Year out right? It's time for you to come boldly into His presence and receive His mercy. Know this: He is ready to receive you with open arms. It doesn't matter what you've done or where you've been, He is on the lookout for you. He is waiting to overwhelm you with His hand of blessing.