(Celebrating South Africa Bri day at the lake)
My last blog was about how much Jesus love us…well he is continuing to show me that.
Here is how….
I hate the story of the prodigal son.
Really?? You are going to be super excited and throw a party for the son that did everything wrong.
The son that left home, did everything he wasn't supposed to and is returning because it is his last resort.
That just does not seem fair AT ALL.
I have aways seen the story from the older brothers point of view.
There he was doing all that was asked from him and all the right things and his dad is throwing his screw up of a brother a party.
Lets be real, that just sucks.
I am the older brother.
I have been trying so hard to do all of the right things, make good decisions and be everything I thought was expected of me as a Christian.
So for me the story of the prodigal son always pissed me off, because to me Jesus and his love was something you had to earn.
It made me so mad that he was rewarded for bad behavior, while it seemed that the good behavior was overlooked.
As I was at launch in Chicago and as I have been in South Africa God has been doing something amazing in me.
In my last blog I told you about a song, If you listened to it, listen to it again and if you haven't listened to it go listen to it. Inheritance by Jonathan David Helser featuring Graham Cooke.
This sounds so silly, but this was the first time that I believed that Jesus loved me because he does and not because of what I do.
I knew he loved me in my head, but I did not believe it in my heart. So I tried to earn his love by doing what I was supposed to and being good.
I love the story of the prodigal son now.
At some point, usually more then we think, we are all the prodigal son.
How awesome is it that Jesus loves us so much that he celebrates when we come running back to him.
He isn't waiting at the front porch with an "I told you so" instead he is waiting at the front porch with a party because he loves you so much and is so happy you are back.
Gosh that is mind blowing.
Jesus loves us because of who he is and because he does.
His love is not earned, based on our behavior, increased or decreased.
He just loves us because he does.
I can't get over that. It is just beautiful.
Know that you are loved because you are loved and that never changes. No matter what.
(My team dressed up for all you can eat ribs and chicken dinner)
(Abby, Laine, Me, Jamie, our friend who worked at our ministry site, Bethany, Raquel and Imelda)
