The Daily Fountain Daily Devotional of the Church Of Nigeria (Anglican Communion) 21 July 2019 – I Will Arise!
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TOPIC: I Will Arise!
READ: Luke 15:11-32 King James Version (KJV)
11 And he said, A certain man had two sons:
12 And the younger of them said to his father, Father, give me the portion of goods that falleth to me. And he divided unto them his living.
13 And not many days after the younger son gathered all together, and took his journey into a far country, and there wasted his substance with riotous living.
14 And when he had spent all, there arose a mighty famine in that land; and he began to be in want.
15 And he went and joined himself to a citizen of that country; and he sent him into his fields to feed swine.
16 And he would fain have filled his belly with the husks that the swine did eat: and no man gave unto him.
17 And when he came to himself, he said, How many hired servants of my father’s have bread enough and to spare, and I perish with hunger!
18 I will arise and go to my father, and will say unto him, Father, I have sinned against heaven, and before thee,
19 And am no more worthy to be called thy son: make me as one of thy hired servants.
20 And he arose, and came to his father. But when he was yet a great way off, his father saw him, and had compassion, and ran, and fell on his neck, and kissed him.
21 And the son said unto him, Father, I have sinned against heaven, and in thy sight, and am no more worthy to be called thy son.
22 But the father said to his servants, Bring forth the best robe, and put it on him; and put a ring on his hand, and shoes on his feet:
23 And bring hither the fatted calf, and kill it; and let us eat, and be merry:
24 For this my son was dead, and is alive again; he was lost, and is found. And they began to be merry.
25 Now his elder son was in the field: and as he came and drew nigh to the house, he heard musick and dancing.
26 And he called one of the servants, and asked what these things meant.
27 And he said unto him, Thy brother is come; and thy father hath killed the fatted calf, because he hath received him safe and sound.
28 And he was angry, and would not go in: therefore came his father out, and intreated him.
29 And he answering said to his father, Lo, these many years do I serve thee, neither transgressed I at any time thy commandment: and yet thou never gavest me a kid, that I might make merry with my friends:
30 But as soon as this thy son was come, which hath devoured thy living with harlots, thou hast killed for him the fatted calf.
31 And he said unto him, Son, thou art ever with me, and all that I have is thine.
32 It was meet that we should make merry, and be glad: for this thy brother was dead, and is alive again; and was lost, and is found.
THE MESSAGE:
From our passage today, a man’s younger son who ought to be under his father’s roof, guidance and protection, asks for his own portion of the father’s goods, even though his father was still alive. In the same way, we Christians, like sheep, are under the care and protection of God, our Shepherd. But many times, we bolt away from God’s guidance and protection just like the prodigal.
Many go into fornication, adultery, drunkenness, smoking, cheating, etc. Once a Christian departs from the presence of God, he becomes exposed to danger, hunger, harm, demonic attack, failure, etc., as he loses God’s protection. The only solution to this situation is true repentance and a quick decision to return to Christ. At verse 18, the prodigal son said I will arise and go to my father, and I will say to him Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you.
Let us pause at this juncture and have a look at our lives. Have you been living in sin despite the fact that you go to Church? Are your garments spotless; are they white as snow, are you washed in the blood of the lamb? In verses 21-22, the way the father of the prodigal son receives him shows how God receives a sinner who repents. No matter what you have done, God is ready to receive you once you repent.
Prayer: Sing from Sacred Songs and Solos No. 23 stanza 2/Chorus and pray with it.
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