Welcome Home Son.



Jesus continued: “There was a man who had two sons.  The younger one said to his father, ‘Father, give me my share of the estate.’ So he divided his property between them.   “Not long after that, the younger son got together all he had, set off for a distant country and there squandered his wealth in wild living.  After he had spent everything, there was a severe famine in that whole country, and he began to be in need.  So he went and hired himself out to a citizen of that country, who sent him to his fields to feed pigs.  He longed to fill his stomach with the pods that the pigs were eating, but no one gave him anything.   “When he came to his senses, he said, ‘How many of my father’s hired servants have food to spare, and here I am starving to death!  I will set out and go back to my father and say to him: Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you.  I am no longer worthy to be called your son; make me like one of your hired servants.’  So he got up and went to his father.  “But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and was filled with compassion for him; he ran to his son, threw his arms around him and kissed him.   “The son said to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son.’   “But the father said to his servants, ‘Quick! Bring the best robe and put it on him. Put a ring on his finger and sandals on his feet.  Bring the fattened calf and kill it. Let’s have a feast and celebrate.  For this son of mine was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.’ So they began to celebrate.
Luke 15:11‭-‬24 NIV

Pretty sure that most of us are familiar with this parable, but I just want to zoom in on a few things that God the Father highlighted to me this morning. 

I had a pretty emotional and intense dream last night. God highlighted my legitimate need for validation as a Son and to be fully accepted as well as celebrated and treasured by my father. 

As part of the Journey Team we were discussing how our same sex parents help build our identity as either sons or daughters, and how easily that can be skewed by our perceptions (that aren't necessarily true) and or some breach or misunderstanding  can scar our identity. 
Something was triggered last night in my subconscious and I had this dream. I immediately felt prompted by the Lord to process this with Him at the cross and bring my feelings and disappoints to him, with someone as back up. So I called a very good brother and friend in Christ. I prayed and lay it down at his feet. My friend then spoke this to me.

“But the father said to his servants, ‘Quick! Bring the best robe and put it on him. Put a ring on his finger and sandals on his feet.  Bring the fattened calf and kill it. Let’s have a feast and celebrate.
Luke 15:22‭-‬23 NIV

Oh the love of the Father, it is so radical. The son was saying I dont deserve to be called a son, yet the Father quickly affirms him as a Son, dressing in robes of righteousness that and peace, places a ring on his finger (signifying the position of a Son in the house. Puts on sandals and gets a feast and celebration ready. How extravagant is our ABBA daddy God.
The picture was so clear and real to me. My Father was saying that he has finds value in me and I am his delight and the apple of his eye, his treasure. I don't deserve it, it's purely based on Grace and on the merit of Jesus (whom is in me, the hope of Glory)  In HIM I am a new creation, and the old anxiety, fears and false images are laid to rest, he makes me complete in HIM.

In life as with the son going to a forgien nation, we end up eating with the swine and swallow heaps of deceptions, false images, idols, sins, that skew our identity and warp our perceptions of ourselves, the world and even God.
People hurt us often unintentionally, maybe in sad cases intentional, mostly because we live in a broken world with broken people. Yet God desires to parent us well and redeem the destruction that often leaves us bewildered and unsure of who we are and what our purpose is.
Thankfully the Father in heaven is perfect and is not only able but very willing to redeem us fully.  So much so that he sent his Son to save us. I have been bought with a very high price.

We can absolutely trust the heart of the Father to affirm us as his children.



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