It's The Attitude!!

 

        Today in the morning while listening to Dr. Charles Stanley share from the passage of The Prodigal Son (Luke 15: 11-31), 

He commented on how quick we all usually are to study  about the younger brother who left home and went away to a far-away country with his portion and lived in Sin. But we tend to overlook the older brother who didn’t leave home, who was with the father the whole time; who faithfully served his father. And yet this very older brother, was filled with unforgiveness,  bitterness, jealousy, self-righteousness, was disrespectful as soon as he felt he was betrayed or wronged. His attitude steered towards bitterness at the drop of an unpleasant circumstance. (luke 15:28-30)

 That’s very true!

            We usually sit and study and analyze the younger lost son’s actions and maybe, sometimes , compare ourselves with him. But what if we are like the other older brother, who never left home, who never left his father’s side , who served him and never disobeyed the father (Luke 15: 29) , did everything right unlike his rebellious younger brother but yet his attitude changed instantly and he had anger towards his father (Luke 15:28,29) , was  jealous and so bitter towards his brother and with an unforgiving  attitude to the point where he is referring to his own brother as ‘this son of yours’(v30)!

             Just because we Know all about HIM (God) or HIS WORD doesn’t mean we won’t be having any bitterness in us. The Pharisees and Sadducees knew all about God, knew  His Word and yet they failed miserably to even recognize The Son of God! They were determined to keep The Law but they didn’t care to align their attitude according to His Word!

            The younger brother ,in this passage, is described as lost ,who had left home , left the father and had gone away to live life on his own terms, without wanting to  conform to his father’s household but when later he realized his mistakes, the sin he had committed against his father, he had a change of heart and he came back to the very same house he had chosen to leave and he repented and asked forgiveness to his father and was ready to serve him as one of his servant.

          

              So even if we go astray and wander away to a far away land, away from home, away from the Father  or if we stay with HIM throughout, he is only concerned with us coming back to Him , remaining in Him and our attitude being right with Him . God examines our heart, he searches our heart (Romans 8:27. Psalms 139:23-24), he examines our motives and  intentions and rewards us accordingly.  Being with him i.e. being born as a Christian does not mean we are better than others or does not guarantee us eternal life with Him.  

           Like the father who celebrated the return of the lost and dead son; God celebrates us, if we find him, repent, ask forgiveness and choose to remain in HIM,

He will make us Alive - that’s His promise!