Candice Marie

This season, especially since my dad passed earlier this year, has been interesting and I've become more aware of some things about myself... some I have embraced and others that I don't like at all. Still, I've tried to be very honest and transparent with people about where I am and why I've taken a step back in many areas. It's hard when you know what serving from a really pure place feels like and the joy and fulfillment that comes with that, to suddenly feeling like you're in a "depart from me I never knew you place". I started feeling as though I was back in this phase that I thought I had grown out of where I'm trying to earn love, earn my worth.

I read a book around this time last year called The Prodigal God. It was so eye opening to me. We always hear the parable of The Prodigal Son being told as though the younger son is the only one lost; I've also heard it spoken of to show the heart of the father; but it's not until I read this book that I realize the older son was also lost. It's a parable about 2 lost sons.

Tim Keller talks about what happened before this, who Jesus was speaking to; the other lost parables he told before this one; how the elder brother, though he stayed with the father, was still lost - close in proximity yet distant from the father's heart; and how the elder brother should have gone after the younger brother.

In contrast, we have a true elder brother in Jesus Christ who loves what the Father loves and goes after us at great cost/sacrifice to himself.

Something I learned reading this that I am constantly reminded of is... we not only have to repent for the things we do wrong, we also have to repent for the things we do right for the wrong reasons.

Religion says, I obey, therefore I am accepted. The gospel says, I am accepted, therefore I obey... Thank you Lord for leading me back to the latter.

#HeartPosture #ProdigalGod #TheProdigalGod