[The older brother] was angry and refused to go in. His father came out and entreated him, but he answered his father, “Look, these many years I have served you, and I never disobeyed your command, yet you never gave me a young goat, that I might celebrate with my friends. But when this son of yours came, who has devoured your property with prostitutes, you killed the fattened calf for him!” And he said to him, “Son, you are always with me, and all that is mine is yours.” (Luke 15:28-31)So then, just as you received Christ Jesus as Lord, continue to live your lives in him, rooted and built up in him, strengthened in the faith as you were taught, and overflowing with thankfulness. (Col. 2:6-7)
Forbearing Father, though I’d never boast about my many years of serving you and I’d never even think of boasting in my record of obedience to your commands, nevertheless, I do acknowledge that there are times when my ingratitude matches that of the older brother in this Scripture. This has become obvious to me lately, and I want to repent before it gets any worse. I do my best repenting not by groveling but by preaching the gospel to my own heart, so here goes.
Father, you are constantly running to me in the gospel—inviting me, imploring me, pleading with me to get on the dance floor of your grace, to enjoy the music of reconciliation, to sing the songs of redemption, to make merry to the glory of God. No one loves louder, larger or longer than you.
You are incessantly saying to my grumbling, complaining, discontented, self-righteous face, “My son, you’re always with me because I’m always with you. Nothing will ever separate you from the everlasting love I have for you and all my children. I greatly delight in you. I rejoice over you with singing. Everything I have is yours. All your sins are forgiven, including your ingratitude and unbelief.
I’ve declared you to be righteous in my beloved Son, for I’ve hidden your life in his. I’ve begun a good work in you, and in my whole broken world, that I will bring to completion. I’ve made you a co-heir of the new heaven and new earth. You are destined for an eternity of perfect relationships in a perfect environment with perfect vocation as a perfected you. Come, let us rejoice and be glad. How can we not?”
Father, I repent, but don’t relent. Keep beating down my ungratefulness with love offensives of the gospel. Keep shocking me with the measureless expanse of your grace, the every-morning-daily-ness of your mercies and the irrepressible steadfastness of your love. So very Amen, I pray in Jesus’ peerless and praiseworthy name.
