Honor from a Father....

I’ve heard a lot of sermons on “The Prodigal Son”. The story of the young man who grew dis-satisfied with his situation so he asked for his father for his portion of the inheritance. It was only after he squandered everything when he realized how good he had it. Most of the sermons I’ve heard are from the vantage point of the son, but I want to look at “The Prodigal Father"….the guy who was waiting and watching for his son to return home.

In the story, the prodigal father was always on the look out for his son, knowing he would return one day. When he saw his son coming at a distance he ran out to meet him, not only did he welcome him with open arms he lavished gifts upon him. Whenever I see a person taking the long walk up our sidewalk on a Sunday morning I think of that story. I get an image of a prodigal returning home.

I’ve started to use this story to illustrate the concept of honor to our guest services teams. Every Sunday morning there are people who arrive late and have the long walk up our sidewalk to the school where we meet. Here’s where the honoring part comes in…it’s when the story moves you to action. When you realize that God has put you in a place to be His arms and feet, to give a hug to the prodigal, now you’re on to something. The heart of God is not just to welcome His prodigals home, His heart is to honor them…to go to extravagant means to demonstrate His love.

The person walking up the step may be far from God filled with guilt and shame over the circumstance of life. This may be the one time the entire year they give church a chance because they’ve worked up enough courage in the midst of despair to get in the car and drive across town. Now they’re walking up the sidewalk and you see them coming at a distance…what to you do? Do you wait for them get to the door and you barely notice them or give them a cursory “welcome”. Or are you so moved in your spirit that you realize that you’re God’s ambassador who has a divine appointment to welcome home the prodigal!!!

Honor starts in your heart…it’s the realization of who God is and what He has called you to do. It’s the extravagant means God wants exhaust to demonstrate His grace. It’s the place where you will connect that person to the very heart of God through how you approach them, through the words your use, through the way you look at their face, through the very words you use and how you use them…..Honor is remembering where you used to be and wanting desperately for God’s grace to shine on this person’s soul!!!

If you are in a role that comes in contact with anyone on a Sunday morning at your church…that’s pretty much anyone in the building, you need to understand that God has ordered your steps and given you a divine appointment to be “The Prodigal Father” as His sons and daughters return home….operate with the sense of calling and honor those He brings to us!!!