All that I have is yours
Although the parable of the
prodigal son focuses on the son that was lost and was
found, there is a second young man in the story. We
first meet him when he refuses to enter into the
celebrations after his brother’s return.
His complaint was that he
had served his father all those years and the father
never gave him anything (Luke 15:29) while his brother
was being welcomed back as a hero who he had, in fact,
wasted his inheritance. It is interesting that the
younger son came back saying: “I am no longer worthy to
be called your son. Make me like one of your
hired servants.” (Luke 15;19). Even though he was
willing to become a servant, his father restored
him to his position as a son. The older boy had
always been in the home as a son but he saw
himself as a servant. Notice that he emphasized
that “these many years I have been serving you”
(15:29). His complaint was also that the father had
never given him anything. It seems that he had the
attitude of a hireling, rather than a son.
He was expecting wages instead of realizing his true
position as an heir in his father’s house.
When the father gave the
younger boy his share, Luke says “So he divided to
them his livelihood.” (v12). In other words he gave
the younger his portion, and what was left belonged to
the older boy. (By virtue of the right of the
first-born, most of the stuff belonged to the older boy
anyway.) So, while the older son was working in the
family business, in reality it was all his and would
pass into his hands at the death of his father. Instead
of acting like the heir he was, he acted like a hireling
and felt sorry for himself because the old man never
gave him anything.
Both boys had the same
problem. They could not wait for the appropriate time
for the inheritance. They both wanted it here and now.
The only difference was that the one demanded, and took,
his share while the other lived on in bitterness and
resentment. If only they were prepared to wait for the
right time both would have been a lot happier and the
father would not have had the heartache of having to
lose, first the younger, and then the older son.
But this is the story of
many Christians. We all, in one way or another, want the
blessings and inheritance of our sonship now. Some will
“name it and claim it” and do whatever they can in the
flesh to get their share before it is due. Others look
askance at those who are having a fun time in this world
and feel cheated. “Why does God not pour His (mostly
material) blessings on me now?” And why can I not have
just a little bit of the inheritance today?” are some of
the questions we ask. The next question that follows is;
“does God really love me? If He did, surely He could
give “me a young goat, that I might make merry with my
friends” (v29).
It is important to pay
attention to the father’s reply to the older son: First.
“Son, you are always with me” (v31). That should have
been enough – just to know he was with the father and
the father with him. Hebrews gives the answer to
covetousness as: “Let your conduct be without
covetousness; be content with such things as you have.
For He Himself has said, "I will never leave you nor
forsake you” (Hebrews 13:5). If only we could
realize how blessed we are to have a relationship with
Him and that He has promised to never leave us! If only
we could just enjoy that fellowship and communion for
what it is, then we would never want anything else. But
it is when we are dissatisfied with our relationship
with the Father that we begin to look for earthly
blessings. If only we could realize how blessed and rich
we are because we are always with Him and are accepted
in the beloved.
The second thing the father
said was: “all that I have is yours”. Yes, the other son
had wasted his share. Everything the older son saw and
touched was in reality his. All he had to do was just
wait for the appropriate time. In the same way “we are
children of God, and if children, then heirs – heirs of
God and joint heirs with Christ.” (Romans 8:17). Yes,
this world and all that is in it will be ours when the
Kingdom comes and that is not so far in the future as we
may think. Very soon it will all be ours when Jesus sets
up the Kingdom and on that day I would rather be a son
than a servant. In the mean time, let’s recognize that
“He who did not spare His own Son, but delivered Him up
for us all, how shall He not with Him also freely give
us all things?” (Rom 8:32)
This problem is not a new
one. The Lord was taking the children of Israel to the promised land with all
it’s blessings. But the people grew tired of His daily
provision and impatient for the fulfillment of the hope
and cried out for the pleasures of Egypt.
Instead of having their eyes fixed on the inheritance,
they longed for the things of the flesh and thus not
only incurred God’s wrath, but were ultimately banned
from the land. Yes, the manna that sustains us daily may
not be as exciting as the fish, garlic and onions of the
world, but it is all we need to uphold us through the
journey until we enter into the inheritance. Maybe the
Lord also makes the manna a little less exciting so that
we may not decide to just stay in the wilderness but
that there may be a desire for the fulfillment of the
promise.
The key then is to have our
eyes fixed on the goal.
These all died in faith, not
having received the promises, but having seen them afar
off were assured of them, embraced them and confessed
that they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth. For
those who say such things declare plainly that they seek
a homeland… But now they desire a better, that is, a
heavenly country. Therefore God is not ashamed to be
called their God, for He has prepared a city for them
(Hebrews 11:13,14,16)
Therefore be patient,
brethren, until the coming of the Lord. See how the
farmer waits for the precious fruit of the earth,
waiting patiently for it until it receives the early and
latter rain. You also be patient. Establish your hearts,
for the coming of the Lord is at hand. (James 5:7,8)
Please, may we not, like the
younger boy, have to lose all before we realize how
blessed we are just to be in the Father’s house.
Anton Bosch
anton@ifcb.net
3310
W Magnolia Blvd
Burbank,
CA, 91505
Tel
818 846 5520
www.burbankchurch.org
www.abcd.co.za/plumbline/