Theme:   People of the Second Chance

This eDevotional was written by a volunteer from Timberlake Church.

READ: Luke 15: 1-31

THINK: "But while he was 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." (Luke 15: 20)

That demonstration of grace was described in today's reading. I have a feeling that this son had caused his father grief way before he asked for his early inheritance. I do not believe that the father was surprised that his youngest child fled home and squandered his wealth on fast living. The father knew his son's character. I have known the pain of having a child walk away from family values and live a life rebelling against the church and all that we had taught and the values we’d tried to instill. Fortunately, I have also had the awesome privilege of eagerly welcoming this child back when he sought reconciliation.

God is much more than the God of the second chance…………how about the 3rd, 4th, 5th 6th…. "To infinity and beyond" as Buzz Lightyear would say.

I find myself flipping between being the older brother in this biblical account and casting judgment upon my brother. But then I’m soon realizing I am the younger brother filled with a propensity to sin. No matter which brother I am, there is one Father in Heaven who knows me inside out, yet loves me unconditionally. That is Grace, and it is Amazing!

There is a godly man in our church who works with young people who are frequently truant. His motto is that every day is a new day. Each time a young person sits before him, it is as if they are meeting for the first time. What a great picture of the way God sees us when we come before Him to plead our case. As Pastor Dave Nelson puts it, "Grace Trumps Everything". That is a comforting thought.

Because I belong to Jesus, there is no condemnation, only power of the life-giving Spirit that has freed me from the power of sin. I now wear the title "saint" along with you. Because of Jesus we deserve to sit next to one another as equal members of the family of God. The grace of God frees us from the need of performance and gives us permission to love and be loved just the way we are.

DO: Pastor Dave Nelson ended with the phrase, "Embrace grace and show it". For some of us the first step is hardest, accepting grace and believing it is for us personally. This step must be taken before it is possible to truly show grace to others. Today, will you and I choose to live up to the title SAINT and do unto others as we would have them do unto us?

PRAY: Dear Heavenly Father, thank you for the reminder that you see me as transformed through the sacrifice of your Son. Help me to believe your Truth, to live by it and really embrace the grace you want me to receive… and then give away to others. AMEN