Finding Satisfaction

How often is our journey to find satisfaction wrapped in appealing promises of fulfilled aspirations yet unbeknown to us fabricated with false promises that stir our insatiable flesh instead of satisfying our soul- says the prodigal who found true satisfaction in repentance & restoration as he returned home to the Father.

Recently in a discipleship group, we covered the concept of Grace that followed our study of Sin and the Image of God. Our discussion weaving together the significance of sin's affect on our experience of not only God but our pursuit of the good life and how it steals the very thing that it promises. Not until we can come to terms with our lostness can we begin to discover the way to being found. Is it possible that what we are giving our life to is giving us nothing in return? does money, sex, worldly success really satisfy? No- not in my experience.

But what is the role of the church? Do we present our selves as those who are better? Who have arrived? Or are we willing to acknowledge our own false pursuits of significance at the alter of success when the only one who provides satisfaction is the Father whose welcoming embrace welcomes all? Do we reflect this embrace? do we model this embrace? This question drives me to continually rethink how we can provide a place that receives the sinner and cultivates a heart for true satisfaction in our gracious Savior. In my experience, it's in walking in gratitude, humbled by His undeserving acceptance my Father provides me. I did not understand the significance of His urging when He told me, "the only thing that matters is what you do with my Son!" That night the Father had run to me, welcomed me but not before he helped me to see the fallacy of finding significance in worldly pleasures are pursuits that only disappoint and destroy. I was fearful but found a Father who refused to allow my past to destroy my place in His embrace. That night I came to my senses and got up and went to my Father.

My prayer is that you too will find not only His embrace that He too is pursuing you, will you consider the claims of Christ today?

1 Jesus continued: “There was a man who had two sons.12 The younger one said to his father, ‘Father, give me my share of the estate.’ So he divided his property between them.13 “Not long after that, the younger son got together all he had, set off for a distant country and there squandered his wealth in wild living. 14 After he had spent everything, there was a severe famine in that whole country, and he began to be in need. 15 So he went and hired himself out to a citizen of that country, who sent him to his fields to feed pigs. 16 He longed to fill his stomach with the pods that the pigs were eating, but no one gave him anything.

17 “When he came to his senses, he said, ‘How many of my father’s hired servants have food to spare, and here I am starving to death! 18 I will set out and go back to my father and say to him: Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you. 19 I am no longer worthy to be called your son; make me like one of your hired servants.’ 20 So he got up and went to his father.

“But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and was filled with compassion for him; he ran to his son, threw his arms around him and kissed him.

21 “The son said to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son.’

22 “But the father said to his servants, ‘Quick! Bring the best robe and put it on him. Put a ring on his finger and sandals on his feet. 23 Bring the fattened calf and kill it. Let’s have a feast and celebrate. 24 For this son of mine was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.’ So they began to celebrate.

25 “Meanwhile, the older son was in the field. When he came near the house, he heard music and dancing. 26 So he called one of the servants and asked him what was going on. 27 ‘Your brother has come,’ he replied, ‘and your father has killed the fattened calf because he has him back safe and sound.’

28 “The older brother became angry and refused to go in. So his father went out and pleaded with him. 29 But he answered his father, ‘Look! All these years I’ve been slaving for you and never disobeyed your orders. Yet you never gave me even a young goat so I could celebrate with my friends. 30 But when this son of yours who has squandered your property with prostitutes comes home, you kill the fattened calf for him!’

31 “‘My son,’ the father said, ‘you are always with me, and everything I have is yours. 32 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.’” (New International Version (NIV)Holy Bible, New International Version?, NIV? Copyright ?1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.? Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.)

#TrueSatisfaction #Lost #Found #FindingSatisfaction #FalsePromises #FindingLife #DisappointmentWithSuccess #ComeToOurSenses #FathersEmbrace #JesusSaves