January 15, 2016 Where's my goat?!?!?!?!

Reading: Luke 15 and Job 20-21

Scripture: Luke 15:31, And he said to him, ‘Son, you are always with me, and all that is mine is yours.

Observation: So many times when Luke 15 is read in church and by pastors they focus on the younger son who tells his dad that he wished he was dead and he wanted his inheritance now. In reading it today the older son’s story jumped out a little because of that fact. In that day if someone asked for their inheritance early as the younger son did first and foremost he is telling his father that he wished him dead and then after getting the inheritance the son would be considered dead and stricken from the family tree. With all that aside the older brother working heard for the family trying to grown the inheritance by growing his fathers wealth watched his little brother who possibility did very little knowing that he would only get a third of his families money, decided that he wanted to go play even harder. Here is the older brother now continuing to work hard thinking I get it all now when dad dies.

Application: After complaining to his father that he was a hard worker and he never got a goat to celebrate with, his father like our father in heaven says what are you complaining about it is already yours. We need to live as if everything in heaven is ours because it is. We are to be generous God loves it when we help others and as we give and share God’s love with those around us, he blesses us and we grow our fruit. We need to remember that as stewards of God’s wealth we are to do what God would do with it.

Prayer: Lord, you are so amazing providing the ability to steward your wealth and to give where you direct. Lord, thank you that you provide for all our needs, and even some of our wants. Lord, I ask for your help and guidance to better appreciate the fact that your wealth is our wealth and we need to be as generous as you.