Come to the party. Come to the feast. Avail yourselves of all He offers. This is the God to whom we bring our prayers
Many of us have prayed lifted for children distant from God and spouses not yet walking with Him. We might blame ourselves when your children don’t follow the Lord, but God isn’t in the blame-game. None of us are perfect, nor are we perfect parents. Deep-seated failure often weighs us down, sometimes hindering our relationship with God without our awareness.
Take a moment to sit quietly and consider: Who is God to you? Picture Jesus, look into His eyes, and see His love there for you.
Meditate on Psalm 139:
O Lord, You have examined my heart
and know everything about me.
You know when I sit down or stand up.
You know my thoughts even when I’m far away.
You see me when I travel and when I rest at home.
You know everything I do.
You know what I am going to say even before I say it, Lord.
You go before me and follow me. You place Your hand of blessing on my head. You made all the delicate, inner parts of my body and knit me together in my mother’s womb.
You watched me as I was being formed in utter seclusion, as I was woven together in the dark of the womb. You saw me before I was born. Every day of my life was recorded in Your book.
Every moment was laid out before a single day had passed.
How precious are Your thoughts about me, O God. They cannot be numbered! I can’t even count them; they outnumber the grains of sand! And when I wake up, You are still with me!
Reflect on this intimacy. God knows you intimately, every thought, every action. He was present in your mother’s womb, carefully forming you. His thoughts toward you are countless. This is the God who loves you deeply and personally. Consider how Jesus treated people in the Gospels – with love and compassion. Place yourself in those stories and imagine His kindness extended to you.
Jesus told a powerful story of two lost sons and their father’s immeasurable love. The younger son, wanted independence, squandered his inheritance and ended up desperate, tending pigs. In that state he came to his senses, he realized the abundance and love in his father’s house. He recognized his foolishness and resolved to return home.
The father, filled with love, watched for his son. “While he was still a long way off, his father saw him coming.” He didn’t wait; he ran, embraced him, and showered him with affection. He called for the finest robe, a ring symbolizing restored authority, and sandals marking him as a son. He ordered a lavish feast to celebrate his return.
The older son, who had stayed home working, heard the celebration. Learning the reason, anger consumed him, and he refused to join. His father pleaded with him. The older son’s reply revealed a heart distant from the Father: “Look! All these years I’ve been slaving for you and never disobeyed your orders. Yet you never gave me even a young goat so I could celebrate with my friends. But when this son of yours who has squandered your property with prostitutes comes home, you kill the fattened calf for him!”
Notice his disrespect: “This son of yours.” He saw his brother as an outsider undeserving of grace. His obedience lacked love and joy; he lived like a slave, not understanding his inheritance as a beloved son. This mirrored the Pharisees Jesus addressed, who criticized His association with sinners.
“‘My son,’ the father said, ‘you are always with me, and everything I have is yours. But we had to celebrate and be glad, because this brother of yours was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.’”
Many of us, like the older brother, have been in church for years yet fail to grasp God’s immense love and generosity. We might see Him as exacting, feeling unworthy and resenting others’ blessings. Criticizing others can mask our insecurities and distance from the Father’s heart. We miss the truth: “Everything I have is yours.”
Today, the Father invites each of us: Come to the party. Come to the feast. Avail yourselves of all He offers. This is the God to whom we bring our prayers – a Father who welcomes us and rejoices in the return of His children. As John Newton wrote,
“Thou art coming to a King, large petitions with thee bring, for His grace and power are such none can ever ask too much.”
Reflect:
- How do you see yourself in the younger or older son?
- Have you ever resented others’ blessings? How did that impact your relationship with God?
- Do you believe “everything” the Father has is yours? What hinders you from embracing this?
- How does understanding God as this loving Father change your prayers for distant loved ones?
- What one step can you take this week to embrace the “feast” the Father offers?
Closing Prayer:
Heavenly Father, thank You for the powerful reminder of Your unconditional love in the story of the two lost sons. We confess times we’ve wandered from You and times we’ve remained close yet distant in heart. Forgive us for doubting Your generosity and allowing resentment to grow. Help us truly grasp the depth of Your love, knowing all You have is ours in Christ Jesus. We lift our distant children and spouses to You, trusting Your compassionate heart to draw them home. May we watch with hope and celebrate their return. Strengthen our faith to believe no one is beyond Your reach. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
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