His Grace Goes Before

Let me ask this question. If you were playing with your best friend’s favourite golf club and accidentally wrapped it around a tree, when would you start apologizing for your error? Would it be as soon as you were able to breath again after you realized what you had done? Would you be practicing your please forgive me speech all the way back to his or her house? There are those who would hide the mistake, seek out a suitable replacement and hope to pass off the club as the original.

“But when he came to himself, he said, ‘How many of my father's hired servants have more than enough bread, but I perish here with hunger! I will arise and go to my father, and I will say to him, “Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son. Treat me as one of your hired servants.”’ And he arose and came to his father. Luke 15:17-20

The prodigal son blew all his inheritance (broke the club) sought out ways to disappear by hiring himself out and then decided to face the music and return even if at a lowered status. He walked back practicing his repentance speech but two things truly speak to me in this passage. The young lad went home to the father remorseful, fully understanding the errors of his ways and hoping for grace. He was at the fork in the road where one path lead to a dark future and the other lead to hope. The second thought in all this, the father ran out to meet him while he was still a long way off which meant the father was always watching out for his son. So consider this; you are on the way back to your friend’s home with the broken club in hand and your friend meets you at the door with a brand new club for you to replace the one you broke and another for himself. As you come forward to apologize and ask how much you owe for the club, he says to you “I forgive you” and hands you the new club. Is this what God wants us to understand? Prevenient Grace – a forgiveness that goes before us. That is what Christ gives us all but there is a price to pay. We must accept the fact we messed up and, in our hearts, reach out to our Savior and ask forgiveness. He is already there, in fact He came to meet you, just wanted you to turn to Him.

This weekend, we start a new miniseries on Grace. We invite you to join us online Sunday at 10:30 AM MST. Click on either link below to join us live:

Facebook Live -

https://www.facebook.com/main.ave.31

 

YouTube Live – https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCs9LIkN_QTdVM6eVXEgy9QA

See you all Sunday.

Blessings

Pastor Todd

www.mainavefellowship.blogspot.ca