Today's Scripture
The Aroma of Christ – Luke 15:11-32
11 Then Jesus said, “There was a man who had two sons. 12 The younger of them said to his father, ‘Father, give me the share of the property that will belong to me.’ So he divided his property between them. 13 A few days later the younger son gathered all he had and traveled to a distant country, and there he squandered his property in dissolute living. 14 When he had spent everything, a severe famine took place throughout that country, and he began to be in need. 15 So he went and hired himself out to one of the citizens of that country, who sent him to his fields to feed the pigs. 16 He would gladly have filled himself with the pods that the pigs were eating; and no one gave him anything. 17 But when he came to himself he said, ‘How many of my father’s hired hands have bread enough and to spare, but here I am dying of hunger! 18 I will get up and go to my father, and I will say to him, “Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you; 19 I am no longer worthy to be called your son; treat me like one of your hired hands.”’ 20 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. 21 Then the son said to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you; I am no longer worthy to be called your son.’ 22 But the father said to his slaves, ‘Quickly, bring out a robe—the best one—and put it on him; put a ring on his finger and sandals on his feet. 23 And get the fatted calf and kill it, and let us eat and celebrate; 24 for this son of mine was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found!’ And they began to celebrate.
25 “Now his elder son was in the field; and when he came and approached the house, he heard music and dancing. 26 He called one of the slaves and asked what was going on. 27 He replied, ‘Your brother has come, and your father has killed the fatted calf, because he has got him back safe and sound.’ 28 Then he became angry and refused to go in. His father came out and began to plead with him. 29 But he answered his father, ‘Listen! For all these years I have been working like a slave for you, and I have never disobeyed your command; yet you have never given me even a young goat so that I might celebrate with my friends. 30 But when this son of yours came back, who has devoured your property with prostitutes, you killed the fatted calf for him!’ 31 Then the father[d] said to him, ‘Son, you are always with me, and all that is mine is yours. 32 But we had to celebrate and rejoice, because this brother of yours was dead and has come to life; he was lost and has been found.’”
Sue's Devotion
What the passage says
The Story of the Lost Son (from The Message)
11-12Then he said, “There was once a man who had two sons. The younger said to his father, ‘Father, I want right now what’s coming to me.’
12-16“So the father divided the property between them. It wasn’t long before the younger son packed his bags and left for a distant country. There, undisciplined and dissipated, he wasted everything he had. After he had gone through all his money, there was a bad famine all through that country and he began to hurt. He signed on with a citizen there who assigned him to his fields to slop the pigs. He was so hungry he would have eaten the corn-cobs in the pig slop, but no one would give him any.
17-20“That brought him to his senses. He said, ‘All those farmhands working for my father sit down to three meals a day, and here I am starving to death. I’m going back to my father. I’ll say to him, Father, I’ve sinned against God, I’ve sinned before you; I don’t deserve to be called your son. Take me on as a hired hand.’ He got right up and went home to his father.
20-21“When he was still a long way off, his father saw him. His heart pounding, he ran out, embraced him, and kissed him. The son started his speech: ‘Father, I’ve sinned against God, I’ve sinned before you; I don’t deserve to be called your son ever again.’
22-24“But the father wasn’t listening. He was calling to the servants, ‘Quick. Bring a clean set of clothes and dress him. Put the family ring on his finger and sandals on his feet. Then get a grain-fed heifer and roast it. We’re going to feast! We’re going to have a wonderful time! My son is here—given up for dead and now alive! Given up for lost and now found!’ And they began to have a wonderful time.
25-27“All this time his older son was out in the field. When the day’s work was done he came in. As he approached the house, he heard the music and dancing. Calling over one of the houseboys, he asked what was going on. He told him, ‘Your brother came home. Your father has ordered a feast—barbecued beef!—because he has him home safe and sound.’
28-30“The older brother stalked off in an angry sulk and refused to join in. His father came out and tried to talk to him, but he wouldn’t listen. The son said, ‘Look how many years I’ve stayed here serving you, never giving you one moment of grief, but have you ever thrown a party for me and my friends? Then this son of yours who has thrown away your money on whores shows up and you go all out with a feast!’
31-32“His father said, ‘Son, you don’t understand. You’re with me all the time, and everything that is mine is yours—but this is a wonderful time, and we had to celebrate. This brother of yours was dead, and he’s alive! He was lost, and he’s found!’”
What does the passage mean to me/us?
The story of the “Prodigal Son” is a familiar and well-read parable. Who is the main character? Is it the younger son who represents the “sinner” in all of us? God allows sinners to make choices and go on their way, but to be outside of Gods family is to be utterly alone. You create your own desperate situation because of sin. As the younger son was desperate and starving, the Lord opened his eyes and convinced him that his actions were sins against his earthly father and his heavenly father! Jesus never stops asking us to repent and to accept his teachings. The son decides to return to his Father’s house and ask for forgiveness; he has nothing to rely on except his Father’s mercy!
Is the Father the main character? His loving pity for his son seems pretty real to me! The Father gives complete restoration of his son’s privileges as a family member. Repentance means an absolute reversal of status. God pursues sinners and his grace does the same for a penitent sinner.
What about the elder son? “That’s not fair!” He is like the self-righteous that claim to serve God but are harsh toward the possibility of forgiveness of sinners. His Father tells him, “my son, you are always with me and everything I have is yours.” It is right to celebrate when the lost are found! The Lord is always willing to welcome and bless all who return to him.
The title of today’s devotion, “The Aroma Of Christ,” comes from The Upper Room. It refers to a verse from 2 Corinthians 2:15 – “We are to God the pleasing aroma of Christ among those who are being saved and those who are perishing.” The writer was reminded of the distinct smells she encountered while working at a local mission serving lunch. The smell of food was mixed with the smell of people. Smells included clean hair, campfire, cigarettes, and liquor. The nauseous smells made her want to step away from her friends that needed a hug or a quick conversation. She related that experience to the father of the “lost” son. The son most likely reeked of the odors of living with the pigs. This did not stop the father from embracing his son or calling for his best robe to cover the son. His best covered his son’s worst. This is what Christ does for each of us.”
Others should have joy when the penitent returns. Reconciliation involves not only God and the individual but also the individual and the community. The focus should be outward on the transformation that has occurred. We are the community. We are asked to feel and share the pure joy of reconciliation, no matter what the aroma seems to remind us of.
Prayer
Heavenly and most gracious Father. Help us to savor the aroma as an invitation to accept all of your children. Help us to search for the lost and celebrate their return to you. Give us the guidance to focus on others’ transformations and not on our feelings. Help us to feel the presence of pure joy as we focus our eyes outward and up to you.
In Christ Name, Amen
*Contributed by Sue McCoy
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