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Sunday, September 29, 2024

29Sep

Luke 15:19-20

I am no longer worthy to be called your son; treat me like one of your hired hands. So, he set off and went to his father. But while he was still far off, his father saw him and was filled with compassion; he ran and put his arms around him and kissed him. Luke 15:19-20 (NRSVUE)

“What difference does it make that I have two inches of dust on my bedroom furniture? Who is it hurting?” I screeched, after my mom told me I had to clean my room before going out with friends. Any time I caught a cold, she said it was because of all the dust in my room. Our mother/teenage daughter battles went far beyond dust. The yelling matches between us would occasionally drive my sweet mild-mannered dad to the patio. “Why can’t you two just get along and be peaceful?” he’d ask.

In today’s scripture, an excerpt from the Parable of the Prodigal Son, the father welcomed back the son who called himself unworthy after going away and spending all his money. Despite this, the father showed unconditional love for his son and wanted nothing more than for his sons to live in harmony together. Just like my dad wanting Mom and me to live in harmony together. (We did, eventually, thank goodness – she even lived with our family for 16 years! And I inherited her disdain for dust, to a fault.)

Living in harmony doesn’t mean there aren’t occasional battles. The problem comes when we lose sight of God being in the midst of those battles and make it all about us. We always have a loving place to return to when our hearts are filled with God’s love. That’s wholeheartedness. It’s what helps us forgive and move on. It’s how we find unity both within ourselves and in a community. May our hearts filter out all the noise and many voices coming at us daily to find inner peace and rest in God’s love.

Question for Reflection:

  • What if God were the author of your next self-help book?

Prayer:

Loving God, help us fill our hearts with your love until there’s no more room for anything else. May we live a wholehearted life, centered in you. Amen.

ParableRelationship

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loveharmony
Posted by Jo Sheets

Jo loves connecting people to people, but gets even more excited connecting people to God. Joining Southwood was life-changing, so she longs for others to feel the same. Learning alongside others in a group was the best thing she and her husband ever did.

This sums it up:
  • People lover (coffee date, anyone?)
  • Inclusivity & Justice Seeker
  • Empty Nester with high-school sweetheart Steve
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