“The Information is out there; you just got to let it in.” Part-1
THESE weekly Friday Morning Greetings are meant as encouragements and instruction on our Pilgrim’s Path and faith journey further in and up in Christ. It’s interesting of late to notice so many of my daily devotional readings addressing issues of adversity and suffering. It makes one wonder what may be on the horizon or unseen, waiting just around the corner out of sight. At the same time, I know of many right now who are going through extreme difficulties and sufferings, and could use some words of comfort and encouragement.
ANOTHER thing I’ve noticed of late is an increase of excellent, online biblical truth resources. As such, I’d like to share a recent discovery called BiblePortal.com. …Question: Do you have a favorite Bible narrative? From early on I’ve held one in particular close to mind; but lately, another one has risen to the top, and that’s the narrative of the Prodigal Son. Bible Portal recently published a three-part series on this particular narrative I found quite insightful, shared below for this Morning Greeting. I’m going to introduce it with a lead-in excerpt that I hope with pique your interest, with a link provided to the full, on-line text.
P.S. You may be wondering as to the reason for the title above. I’ll explain that next time in part 2.
WITH that said, here’s today’s consideration from Bibleportal.com titled, “The Sin Before the Sin.”
In the inexorable riches of Christ,
Joe
Neh. 8:10; Isa 30:15; Job 2:10; Jas. 1:2; Prov. 21:30
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The Sin Before the Sin
We usually start the story of the prodigal son in the far country. The parties, the waste, the famine, the pig pen. That’s where the drama is, and that’s where we tend to look for the sin.
But Jesus starts the story earlier. With a sentence. A request. Five words that, on the surface, sound almost reasonable: Father, give me my share.
He hasn’t left yet. He hasn’t squandered anything. He’s still standing in his father’s house. And already something has broken.
What the Request Really Said
In the ancient world, asking for your inheritance while your father was still alive was not simply impolite. It was a declaration. It said: I am done waiting for you to die. I want what is mine, and I want it now. Give it to me so I can leave.
The Apostle Paul names the root of this impulse with startling precision. The fundamental sin of humanity, he says, is not immorality or violence or greed. It is this: we did not think it worthwhile to retain the knowledge of God. We decided, at some point, that we were better off without him. That we were smart enough, capable enough, independent enough to manage our own portion of life.
“Since they did not think it worthwhile to retain the knowledge of God,
he gave them over to a depraved mind, to do what ought not to be done.”
— Romans 1:28
The prodigal son is every one of us who has ever looked at the life God offers and thought: I think I’d rather have my share now, and go my own way. The far country comes later. The sin begins the moment we decide the Father’s house is something to leave.
A Relationship That Was Never Meant to Be Divided
There is a word hidden inside the word “father.” It is the word “son.” You cannot have one without the other. The relationship is not incidental. It is constitutive. It is what makes each of them who they are. …continued at Bible Portal – The Sin Before The Sin
