Divine Reasoning

Divine Reasoning

“And he said to him, ‘Son, you are always with me, and all that I have is yours. It was right that we should make merry and be glad, for your brother was dead and is alive again, and was lost and is found.’”

Luke 15:31-32

The Wisdom of God brings forth an unimpeachable logic. After the elder brother has ‘vented his spleen,’ in a nasty diatribe, his father reasons with him calmly and graciously. Notice, he does not even answer the son’s insinuations. He maintains his composure and declares, ‘Son, you are always with me, and all that I have is yours.’ The harder parts of the conversation; that his son is self-righteous; that he is bitter; that he is judgmental, and arrogant, he saves for another day. For the minute, he acknowledges that the elder brother has his place in the house, and leaves it at that. He then goes on to assert the rightness of his rejoicing over the return of the prodigal. Here we find the Gracious Behavior of God, Our Father toward the self-righteous religious folk who cannot bear to countenance the ‘wretched refuse’ whom Jesus saves. Will they learn to cease despising the poor broken lowlifes who ‘made poor choices,’ and are ‘living with the consequences of their sin?’ We hope so. Maybe they will not today, but the same Christ, Who is Gracious, to the ‘publicans and sinners’ also reveals his Truth, in due course of time, to those ‘who trust in themselves that they are righteous, and despise others.’ There is but One Christ for all Who are redeemed. He, and He Alone, is Worthy.

Our Holy, Wise, and Gracious Father,
we praise You, that You think well when we think poorly.
We praise You, for the gentle persuasions of Your Spirit
Who takes the things of Christ and shows them unto us.

Tomm Tice
Where the Bush is Burning