Tag: <span>refuge</span>

Published August 10, 2011

Run Away Child

by Katherine Kehler

“Father, give me my share of the estate.”  Luke 15:12

I love to read books by the author Henry Nouwen. Though he was a highly educated man, he maintained a childlike relationship with the Lord. One of his books, The Return of the Prodigal Son, has some fresh insights into this parable that I had not considered.

As you know, this parable is all about our relationship with God our Father. In essence, the lost son told his father, “I don’t want you, just the things you can give me.”

Although I had habitually viewed the prodigal as someone who had turned his back on God and didn’t come back for many years, Henri Nouwen brings out the fact that all of us can become prodigals many times a day. Whenever we choose to use God only as an “answer to prayer” dispenser or if we remember Him in times of crisis only, we are like the prodigal son. We choose his gifts rather than Him.

When I stop to think about it, I feel so ashamed because I have done that and still do at times.

The good news is that no matter how often we turn away from God and focus on his resources rather than on Him, He is always there, waiting for us with outstretched arms. We are always welcome to come back and bask in His love.

Father, I cannot comprehend Your awesome love and Your total acceptance of Your children. We aren’t like that. Give us the grace to bask in Your love and return Your love. Amen.

You can comment on this devotional online at:
https://thoughts-about-god.com/blog/2011/08/10/kk_run-away-child/

Thoughts by All thoughts by Katherine Kehler Thoughts by Women

Published August 9, 2011

Unbelievable

by Marilyn Ehle

“Because of his glory and excellence, he has given us great and precious promises…”  2 Peter 1:4 (NLT)

After weeks of unnaturally hot, dry weather, we heard that a cold front would be moving through our area. I awakened to grey skies, gusty winds and rain. Wondering just exactly how warm—or cold!—it would become, I glanced at the small weather column in the daily newspaper. “The high today will be eighty-six degrees.” Having previously heard that temperatures would maybe crawl up to the mid-sixties, I laughed. Somebody got something wrong.

Could it be that the person who checks for accuracy looked at the cold front information and thought, “That’s unbelievable. It’s almost summer. The predicted temperature of sixty-eight degrees can’t be right. They must mean eighty-six. I’ll change it.” This would turn out to be an amusing change and one fairly insignificant—except for those who wished they had worn a coat to work.

But we often do the same things with God’s promises. He says, “I will never leave or forsake you.” But when His presence cannot be felt, we say, “He must mean He will be with me when everything is going well.”

He promises, “My peace I give you,” but when our world twists and tumbles with cancer or earthquakes or spiritual deserts, we wonder if His peace is reserved for better, more faithful followers.

We dare not alter God’s promises at the whim of our circumstances. His word can be trusted. His nature is unchanging. He is eternally believable.

You can comment on this devotional online at:
https://thoughts-about-god.com/blog/2011/08/09/me_unbelievable/

Thoughts by All thoughts by Marilyn Ehle Thoughts by Women