Celebrate and Be Glad!

"My son," the father said, "you are always with me, and
everything I have is yours. But we had to celebrate and 
be glad, because this brother of yours was dead, and is
alive again; he was lost and is found." (Luke 15:31-32)

"There's a story about a man who dreamed that he went
to a great palace, and was joyfully greeted at the door;
then he went in, and at each successive room he entered,
he was, each time, even more joyfully received. At last
he entered into the presence of a great monarch and
was there received with great acclimation. It is more than
that with the believer in Christ!

The prodigal son entering the Father's house demonstrates
the nature of our salvation. It is not simply for my benefit
that I am there, but God has a delight in having me there...
Love delights to have me in its company.

If a Christian's need was the measure of Christ's work,
human joys would be enough--but when divine love is
the measure--the Father's house and the joys therein are
the only thing that will satisfy.

It is the Father's good pleasure that His house be filled,
therefore, "We had to celebrate and be glad because this
brother of yours was dead and is alive again; he was lost
and is found." That is why the reception of the believer
in Christ is so satisfying and completely full of joy.
Every believer now has a home there. We are dwelling
on the joyful gain which is ours at the finish--what we
are ultimately saved to."

JB Stoney 1814-1897

Reader, Oh, how I need to ponder the Father's love daily.
When things are going badly and my emotions tank, I
do not consider that His love never changes towards me;
if I was at that moment, caught by death, His joy in
seeing me would be bright and glorious because it is not
based on my behavior. We are all prodigals who have
been set apart and bought with a price and destined to
enter into joy unspeakable and full of glory!

"You will know the truth and the truth will set you free!"
Begin today to live in the truth and rejoice.