Such Favour Undeserved
written at Sunday, January 24, 2010
Today's message at Combined Service was a fitting one, timely might I add. The title of the sermon was, "Our Father Who Is In Heaven." The message was centred around the parable of the prodigal son. Many of you would be familiar with this story taken mainly from Luke 15.
I've been struggling a lot, the weight of sin, at times the feelings of guilt and feelings of condemnation as I roll around in bed, unable to sleep soundly because of this unexplainable heaviness in my heart, is it an uncertainty? Is it a doubt for God's love for me? How I longed for something refreshing and this parable once again revealed to me God's undying love for me. His unconditional, redeeming love.
Sometimes we get a warped or wrong view of who God is, because of this, the devil would come and plant little lies and deceptions into our minds, causing us to doubt His love for us. The parable of the prodigal son draws us back to God's heart. I can imagine the son, who had squandered everything that he had been given.
You held out Your arms, I walked away
Insolent, I spurned Your face
Squandering the gifts You gave to me
Holding close forbidden things
Destitute, a rebel still, a fool in all my pride
The world I once enjoyed is death to me
No joy, no hope, no life
Where now are the friends that I had bought
Gone with every penny lost
What hope could there be for such as I
Sold out to a world of lies
Oh, to see Your face again, it seems so distant now
Could it be that You would take me back
A servant in Your house
I have shared the lyrics of the song above (Sovereign Grace Music - The Prodigal) in one of my previous posts a few months back, it spoke to me, but today's message also crystallized the words that was expressed in this song. The verse in Luke 15 explains the son who "came to his senses." Luke 15:18-20 says, I will set out and go back to my father and say to him: Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son; make me like one of your hired men.' So he got up and went to his father." This is where it gets amazing, do you believe it?
You held out Your arms, I see them still
You never left, You never will
Running to embrace me, now I know
Your cords of love will always hold
Mercy’s robe, a ring of grace
Such favor undeserved
You sing over me and celebrate
The rebel now Your child
Indeed, the father ran out to see his son, embraced him, before the son could utter a word of, "Sorry." I can imagine the tears of joy, the tears of being united father and son, again. So what does this mean for us my friends? God loves us even before we do anything for Him, we don't need to do anything to gain God's approval. Our sonship in Him through His covenant is an everlasting one :) This is my encouragement to all of you, to all those who are hurting, who are wondering if God really loves you, who are currently having any doubts of Him. Have a read of the parable of the prodigal son again. May He speak to your heart. Do you feel Him calling you back?
He wants to embrace you.
Such Favour Undeserved
written at Sunday, January 24, 2010
Today's message at Combined Service was a fitting one, timely might I add. The title of the sermon was, "Our Father Who Is In Heaven." The message was centred around the parable of the prodigal son. Many of you would be familiar with this story taken mainly from Luke 15.
I've been struggling a lot, the weight of sin, at times the feelings of guilt and feelings of condemnation as I roll around in bed, unable to sleep soundly because of this unexplainable heaviness in my heart, is it an uncertainty? Is it a doubt for God's love for me? How I longed for something refreshing and this parable once again revealed to me God's undying love for me. His unconditional, redeeming love.
Sometimes we get a warped or wrong view of who God is, because of this, the devil would come and plant little lies and deceptions into our minds, causing us to doubt His love for us. The parable of the prodigal son draws us back to God's heart. I can imagine the son, who had squandered everything that he had been given.
You held out Your arms, I walked away
Insolent, I spurned Your face
Squandering the gifts You gave to me
Holding close forbidden things
Destitute, a rebel still, a fool in all my pride
The world I once enjoyed is death to me
No joy, no hope, no life
Where now are the friends that I had bought
Gone with every penny lost
What hope could there be for such as I
Sold out to a world of lies
Oh, to see Your face again, it seems so distant now
Could it be that You would take me back
A servant in Your house
I have shared the lyrics of the song above (Sovereign Grace Music - The Prodigal) in one of my previous posts a few months back, it spoke to me, but today's message also crystallized the words that was expressed in this song. The verse in Luke 15 explains the son who "came to his senses." Luke 15:18-20 says, I will set out and go back to my father and say to him: Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son; make me like one of your hired men.' So he got up and went to his father." This is where it gets amazing, do you believe it?
You held out Your arms, I see them still
You never left, You never will
Running to embrace me, now I know
Your cords of love will always hold
Mercy’s robe, a ring of grace
Such favor undeserved
You sing over me and celebrate
The rebel now Your child
Indeed, the father ran out to see his son, embraced him, before the son could utter a word of, "Sorry." I can imagine the tears of joy, the tears of being united father and son, again. So what does this mean for us my friends? God loves us even before we do anything for Him, we don't need to do anything to gain God's approval. Our sonship in Him through His covenant is an everlasting one :) This is my encouragement to all of you, to all those who are hurting, who are wondering if God really loves you, who are currently having any doubts of Him. Have a read of the parable of the prodigal son again. May He speak to your heart. Do you feel Him calling you back?
He wants to embrace you.
