The Parable of the True Sun of God and God Knows When

I've been reading and thinking a lot about parables the last week and asking friends and family their favorite. Two of the ones that keep coming up are The Prodigal Son and The Lost Sheep.

If you look at it one way, they are different stories, but  from another angle, they are very similar.

Just for a reminder.....

The Story of the Lost Son (Prodigal Son)

 ^11-12Then he said, "There was once a man who had two sons. The younger said to his father, 'Father, I want right now what's coming to me.'  ^12-16"So the father divided the property between them. It wasn't long before the younger son packed his bags and left for a distant country. There, undisciplined and dissipated, he wasted everything he had. After he had gone through all his money, there was a bad famine all through that country and he began to hurt. He signed on with a citizen there who assigned him to his fields to slop the pigs. He was so hungry he would have eaten the corncobs in the pig slop, but no one would give him any.
 ^17-20"That brought him to his senses. He said, 'All those farmhands working for my father sit down to three meals a day, and here I am starving to death. I'm going back to my father. I'll say to him, Father, I've sinned against God, I've sinned before you; I don't deserve to be called your son. Take me on as a hired hand.' He got right up and went home to his father.
 ^20-21"When he was still a long way off, his father saw him. His heart pounding, he ran out, embraced him, and kissed him. The son started his speech: 'Father, I've sinned against God, I've sinned before you; I don't deserve to be called your son ever again.'
 ^22-24"But the father wasn't listening. He was calling to the servants, 'Quick. Bring a clean set of clothes and dress him. Put the family ring on his finger and sandals on his feet. Then get a grain-fed heifer and roast it. We're going to feast! We're going to have a wonderful time! My son is here—given up for dead and now alive! Given up for lost and now found!' And they began to have a wonderful time.
  

 

The Story of the Lost Sheep

 ^1-3By this time a lot of men and women of doubtful reputation were hanging around Jesus, listening intently. The Pharisees and religion scholars were not pleased, not at all pleased. They growled, "He takes in sinners and eats meals with them, treating them like old friends." Their grumbling triggered this story.  ^4-7"Suppose one of you had a hundred sheep and lost one. Wouldn't you leave the ninety-nine in the wilderness and go after the lost one until you found it? When found, you can be sure you would put it across your shoulders, rejoicing, and when you got home call in your friends and neighbors, saying, 'Celebrate with me! I've found my lost sheep!' Count on it—there's more joy in heaven over one sinner's rescued life than over ninety-nine good people in no need of rescue.


 Since I have been looking at both of these together, it reminds me how well God knows each and every one of us.

Sometimes, we need to stretch our wings. We take what our friends, family, God, etc give us, walk away without a word of acknowledgement or thanks, and enjoy the riches we have been given. Before long, we realize not only are we lonely, but the grass isn't greener on the other side.

Other times, we think what we see before us is not what we want at all and we not only turn our backs, we run as fast as we can. We get so far away, not only are we scared to go home, but we have totally lost our way home.

These are the times God knows whether the need is to sit in patience, and await our return, or to come an gather us in loving arms and gently carry us home.

We can learn so much from this unconditional love when it comes to how we treat family or friends who we feel have left our fold.

Do you have what it takes to be patient? Do you have what it takes to be persistent? Do you have the wisdom and unconditional love to know which is needed?

God will come find even the most colorful sheep! Will you??