But how do we wrap our minds around the idea that God likes to celebrate? We are used to thinking of God sitting austere, disinterested, and disconnected from our emotions. A God that parties is not in our mental filing cabinet.
Yet it is clear from Luke 15 (and a bunch of other scriptures) that God truly celebrates. But what does God celebrate? What makes him throw parties?
We celebrate victories (championships, setting records), occasions (birthdays, weddings), and achievements (retirements, graduations). We want to celebrate, we feel the need to celebrate, I suppose you could say we have to celebrate!
So does God celebrate our victories, occasions, and achievements?
Nope. He celebrates our repentance. That’s right, repentance. He celebrates when a sinner (like me and you) first comes to Christ in repentance. But who’s to say he doesn’t celebrate every time we repent? Every time we turn from sin and believe his superior promises. Every time we choose faithfulness to Christ over compromise and ease. Every time we kill the selfish flesh and lay our lives down for Christ’s sake. Every day we live repentance as a way of life.
So, let make heaven happy. Not by offering our victories and achievements, but by offering our repentance. And then listen for the party!
The well wisher of your soul’s happiness,
Pastor Tom
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1 comment:
Tom,
I have always thought as life as a long line of repentances. Unfortunately life is hard and sin/tempation are always there. I give thanks every day for what I have and always thank God for the riches that I have beyond Gold and Silver. I wish I were more consistently strong but, I am a weak man who must fight and struggle every day.
The many weeks of focus on this message were well worth it. In looking at my life I would say that I grew up in a household where my father was at the same time the younger son and the father. I would look at me through the years and at times it was obvious which role I had and at other times I had varying roles with different people/relationships. A great message to share can't wait to be back this Sunday.
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