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Shared Celebration
Finally, the prodigal's father reveals God's heart for celebration with His children. The father declared a feast to celebrate their reunion. I can see his joyous exuberance with his son, talking and laughing together. God is like this with us.
In my youth, great times with my dad helped me capture God's heart for celebration. I vividly recall sitting in a rowboat watching my dad fly-fish along a pristine river in northern Wisconsin. Or the times he made breakfast, while camping, with the aroma of bacon and eggs over an open fire overlooking a lake. I sensed a quiet spirit of celebration in my dad that prepared me for capturing this side of God.
The television classic Bonanza, which I faithfully watched as a kid, also spoke to me. Ben Cartwright was a great dad to three sons on a beautiful ranch in the west. They were wonderfully connected: Ben and his sons worked and played together. They mended fences, stacked hay, and drove cattle. They took long rides on horseback while taking in the beauty of their ranch. They shared meals, laughed freely, and told stories. Through it all ran a warm current of shared celebration. God is like this with us.
Jesus' parable of the king's wedding banquet for his son (Matthew 22:1-14) also speaks of God the Father's heart for celebration with His children. The king sent out his servants with the message: "Tell those who have been invited that I have prepared my dinner: My oxen and fattened cattle have been butchered, and everything is ready. Come to the wedding feast."
God is both Father and King who has made special preparations for celebration in this life and the eternal life to come.
When earthly kings prepare to celebrate, they spare no expense in tapping into their great resources. How much more true is this of Christ, our divine King, whose resources are endless. He has spared no expense for eternal celebration--beginning with the incredible cost of His death on a cross.
Someday Jesus will return to reign as King over the whole earth. The world will then erupt with great celebration of God's presence, power, and glory. Isaiah described it this way: "The Lord Almighty will prepare a feast of rich food for all peoples, a banquet." (Look at Isaiah 25:6-9)
In the meantime, we can get in touch with our eternal Father-hunger--and act on it. We can answer God's beckoning calls for intimacy. As we do, He draws near to us. (James 4:8) He reveals His great love, humility, forgiving spirit, and heart for celebration with His children. This will compel us to bond to our Father even more.
Do you know God? Do you belong to Him? If not, I encourage you to pursue Him, for He is pursuing you. Here is a suggested prayer:
God, become my father. Adopt me into your eternal home. Jesus, thank you for dying on the cross for our sins. I confess my sins to you. Forgive me. Send your Spirit, the Holy Spirit, to live in my heart. Help me, empower me to become like you. I want to follow you and serve you. Show me the way. Thank you for loving and accepting me. Thank you for adopting me so I can live with you forever. In Jesus' name, amen.
Good next moves would be to explore the life of Christ by reading the Gospel of John in the Bible and seeing the film "Jesus" (Web site: www.jesusfilm.org). Also find a Bible-centered church, one that honors Christ as God (Isaiah 9:6,7; John 1:1-14), Lord (Philippians 2:5-11), and Savior (John 3:16,17). The book, "Basic Christianity" by John Stott, would help you understand the dynamics of the Christian life. I also suggest "Mere Christianity", a classic by C. S. Lewis.
For a book on building relationships with God and others...my eBook "How to Have a Better Relationship with Anybody" which was originally published by Moody Press. It can also be effectively used for Bible studies.
Check out the movie "Chariots of Fire" which won the Academy Award for Best Picture of the Year in 1981. It's a true story about Eric Liddell who won a gold medal in the 400 metres in the 1924 Olympics in Paris, France. His rich character and faith are clearly shown. Later, he served Christ in China for years where he died in Weihsien internment camp during WW2. Until the end, Eric strove with great compassion to lead and strengthen other prisoners including women and children.
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