Beyond Our Request

“I will go home to my father and say, “Father, I have sinned against both heaven and you, and I am no longer worthy of being called your son. Please take me on as a servant.”’ Luke 15:18-19

Jesus is full of grace and truth; Jesus Himself unpacks this with the story of the prodigal son [Luke 15]. With good works, you understand that nothing you do in your strength can bring you in. So you are not working to pay back but out of love and duty to the Father. With dead works, you think that you can actually work your way in. So, good works you are inside and working, but dead works you are working to get inside. The older boy was inside and working, the younger boy was working to get inside.

The younger son was outside and he was eager to come in but it took the father to go and bring him in with two things – grace and truth [Luke 15:20]. The older brother was outside and he wanted to go inside. But it took the father to go and bring him in with two things – grace and truth. So the two sons both needed grace and they both needed truth. So it doesn’t matter whether you are inside or you are outside, you need grace and you need truth. Grace will bring you home but it takes truth to set you free. The grace showed to the younger son is the most obvious grace in this story. What was the grace? The father went out to meet him; that was gracious- that is super gracious. But it didn’t end there. The boy had prepared a speech- very smart man, don’t you think? He had his plan set and his speech rehearsed. He planned to show up before his father and go spiritual, “Father, I have sinned against both heaven and you”. Then go practical “I am no longer worthy of being called your son. Please take me on as a servant” [and stop eating pig’s food]. So all the boy wanted was food. So he showed up before his father and said, ‘father I have sinned against heaven and against you…’ and the father cut him short. Ignored the speech and said bring him the best robe, bring him the ring, bring him the sandal, kill the fattened cow. That is super grace. You may need to pause here and let that sink. Many of us are standing before God and babbling away. But God is saying, give her a new robe, give her a new sandal, and give her a ring. That is why it is just folly to think that you have what you have because you are able – you are a prayer warrior. It is foolishness. Should you pray? Yes. But beyond our request, the grace of God abounds. He says, “Before you speak, I will answer”.

But what was the truth to the younger son? The truth was what the father said after giving him grace. My son was dead but now He is alive, he was lost now He is found. That is the truth and the boy will do well to keep that truth in front of his face all the days of his life.

Prayer: Father, help me keep the truth that whereas I was blind but now I can see in front of my face all the days of my life, in Jesus Name.