Heading Home

After the birth of their daughter, a wealthy and powerful king and his wife found out they could have no more children. Always wanting a son as an heir to the kingdom, they adopted a baby boy.

As the son grew, he could not understand his father’s ways and, although his father loved him very much, he struggled to receive that love. He never felt a part of the family.

After many years, the son decided to leave his family. Before he left, the father handed him a note, sealed in an envelope, and told him, “If you ever need anything, open this envelope.”

Missing his son and longing for him to come home, the king sent his emissary to find him.

Living by himself in an old shack for years, the son lay destitute and dying. With no insurance or money, he could not afford a life-saving operation. Though others tried to help him, he always refused.

One day, someone knocked on his door. When he answered it, a deliveryman held out a large package and said, “Your father has finally located you and has sent you this gift.”

“I do not want anything from my father,” and he slammed the door.

The next day, the same thing happened. A knock at the door. The son opened it and the deliveryman said, “I have been sent by your father to give you a gift.”

“I...don’t...want...it!” Slam!

On the third day, when the knock came at his door, the son became furious, but when he flung open the door, he found only a note taped to it. It read, “Sir, I only wish to give you something for which you will be eternally grateful. It will be held for you at our storehouse. Take this receipt, and if you should change your mind, you may pick it up whenever you desire.”

Grabbing the receipt, he slammed the door shut.

A few months later, the son died. Those who knew him contacted his family. His sister came to collect his meager belongings. As she went through his things, she found a worn envelope, unopened, and the ticket for the package.

Having no idea what they were, she opened the note and read it, “My dear son, I waited for a son for many years. I prayed to have a son just like you, and then I found you. You were so special that I chose you above all the others to be my son and be the heir of my kingdom. If you should ever need help of any kind, do not ever hesitate to ask me. I will do anything for you. All you need to do is ask. Lovingly, your father.”

After wiping away the tears, the sister took the receipt for the package and went to the storehouse to collect it.

When she got back to his shack, she sat down on the dirty floor and began to open the big box. Her eyes widened in disbelief as she removed the packing. Millions of dollars filled the box.

Her thoughts came rushing out like a flood, “The son of a king lived like a beggar! If only he had opened the gift, he could have been rescued from his situation. He could have had his operation. His debts paid. Been reconciled with his family. Had a family of his own. He could have lived like the son of a king.”

Inside the box, the sister found another note, “My son, this is my gift to you. You never asked for anything, yet everything was prepared and waiting your request. Even though we are separated, I love you with an everlasting love. You have been my greatest care, but you did not want my love.

“I am sorry you did not understand my ways. If you had only recognized my hand at work, reaching out to you, you would have been spared. I wished only for your happiness and well being, no matter what happened. I love you, my son. Please come home. My kingdom is yours. Your loving father.”

As tears once again rolled down his sister’s cheeks, she whispered, “If only he had known the heart of the father, the kingdom would have been his.”

“It is your Father’s good pleasure to give you the kingdom.” (Luke 12:32b NKJV)

Have you opened the gift of the Father and received the wealth of His kingdom?

If you’ve wandered far from Home, hear what the Father says...

“I love you, My child. Please come home. My kingdom is yours. Your loving Father.”



This is part of Christian Writers blog chain on the topic "coming home." Please check out the other great posts in the list in the right sidebar.

Also hooking up with...

A Pause on the Path



Finding Heaven

A long time ago in a faraway land lived a benevolent King who deeply loved his subjects. They loved him in return and praised him highly for his generosity.

Every day, the King enjoyed walking through the beautiful gardens of His kingdom, which ended at the river’s edge. He would sit beneath a large oak tree, look out to the other side of the river and dream of expanding his kingdom one day, that all the benefits of his kingdom might be shared with those across the great divide.

As he watched, the King noticed that the people on the other side came daily to the river, attempting to scrub the stains from their garments. Among them was a beautiful, young maiden. The King thought it was time for the Prince to marry, and, as the custom was for the father of the son to choose the bride, he thought she would be right for the Prince.

The King decided to send his son down to the river’s edge in the hope that he would notice the young maiden. Always obeying his father, the Prince went to the river’s edge, veiling himself from view. He watched as the people came to wash their garments and saw the young maiden. She captivated his heart.

Each morning thereafter, the Prince arose anticipating a glimpse of the fair maiden. Each day brought another of her characteristics to his attention.

One day, he noticed sadness in her eyes. Her shoulders drooped. A frown replaced her ready smile. Something seemed missing in her life. He wanted to console her, put her life back in order. He decided to ask the King for help.

Thrilled to hear the Prince had fallen in love with the bride he had chosen, the King told the Prince that it was time for him to cross over to the other side of the river.

As there was no way to get there, they agreed a bridge must be built to span the wide divide. The Prince worked alongside all the King’s carpenters to build the bridge, which had never been done before, but he was willing and determined to reach the other side.

He worked all hours to finish his task. His hands became bloody. His feet ached. His muscles became twisted, but he never complained.

Stories circulated among the people on the other side as to what this meant. Some were amazed at this coming thing. Some looked forward to this new connection with the other side, while others were apprehensive. Some thought it outrageous.

Finally, the day arrived when the bridge was finished and it was time for the Prince to prepare to cross over. He pondered how he should approach the young maiden.

Should he cross over as the Prince? Maybe she would be intimidated. Should he march across as the captain of his father’s army? That would impress her, but then again, it might frighten her.

Should he cross over as a beggar? She might not notice him, and after all, he would be lying to her. He finally decided to leave his royal throne and be as one of the people.

He crossed over at a time no one expected. As the dark of night approached, he made his way quietly across the bridge. Once on the other side, he found a place to sleep in a hollowed out tree.

That night was glorious. The stars were brighter than ever. All the throngs of heaven came to applaud him.

The next morning, he went into the village and found work as a carpenter. He was very generous, making tables, chairs, and building homes for the people. He did amazing things for them, just as his father had shown him.

He lived among them, learning their customs, their traditions, their dialect, everything. He did all he could to show his love for the people, desiring to bring all the benefits of his father’s kingdom into their lives.

Some of the villagers accepted him right away. Others were very skeptical of someone new and different, not trusting what he said. Others were offended.

One special day, he met the maiden, and, after some time passed, she decided he was the one missing in her life.

He proposed. When she accepted, he thought his heart would burst with joy. They became betrothed. As was the custom, he came at midnight and swept her away to their new home on the other side of the river.

~~This parable, of course, illustrates the kingdom of God and how He desired to bring its benefits to earth. I hope you caught the numerous allusions to Jesus’ life.

The Son remained hidden behind the shadow of the Old Testament until the Father revealed the time for Jesus to come, to be the bridge, crossing that great divide between heaven and earth.

“This is the work of God, that you believe in Him whom He sent.” (John 6:29 NKJV)

May you know the fullness of all God has promised and may you anticipate Jesus' coming with joy.

Learning a trade from a father was essential. A tradition of following in a father’s footsteps. And so this young man obeys.

In the humble beginning of his apprenticeship, he is learning from his father to carve out the design of the wood, to press his hands against the wood and feel the grain, and to carry stacks of wood.

Still a young lad and learning his trade, he needs the direction of his father’s callused hands to guide his unskilled hands, which now need a little rest.

Stepping away from the carpenter’s bench, he walks outside the shop to take a break from his work and stretch his back.

Standing in the warm, noon sun, he picks at another of the daily splinters in his hands, as the rhythm of the hammer pounds in the background. Extending his arms toward the sky, he says a prayer of thanksgiving to God the Father.

He breathes in fresh air to rid his nostrils of sawdust. First shaking his head to dislodge more sawdust tangled in his hair, he then removes his sandals and shakes out the wood shavings.

As the sun’s warmth soothes his aching muscles, he wonders when he first loved the savory aroma of wood. From the stories his father has told him, he decides the first whiffs seeped into his memory from the wooden trough at his birth.

When would Jesus realize all these things were harbingers of agony upon a wooden cross?

Did that dreadful day of agony revive all those fragrant memories of His childhood? What did those harbingers herald?

* Stepping aside from His carpenter’s life means stepping into His glorified life.
* The sawdust that clung to His hair is now exchanged for a crown of thorns encircling His head.
* Stretching His sore back could never compare to the excruciating pain from the flesh-revealing stripes received from a scourge.
* The removing of His sandals rid them of sawdust; now removing them reveals His feet for torture.
* The wood He once carried strengthened Him to carry a cross-beam along the Via Dolorosa.
* His hands, once suffering splinters from pressing against the grain of the wood, now feeling pain as shards puncture them from bearing the weight of the wooden cross-beam.
* The hammer that pounded in the background now pounds in rhythmic timbre upon the nail heads, piercing His hands.
* The memory-scent of the wood, embedded in His nostrils, infuses His soul as the punctured wood releases that familiar fragrance.
* The fresh air He so easily breathed in now barely makes it into His nostrils as He struggles to breathe.
* His muscles that ached from work now throb from the pain of crucifixion, which no soothing sun can ever relieve.
* His arms extended once again...in prayer to His Father.

Following His heavenly Father’s guidance, this young Man obeyed...unto death.
The scent of the wood released from obedience.
A sweet aroma to the Father.

Prayer.

Did you cringe or smile when you read that word? Do you spend enough time in prayer?

Whatever the amount of time each of us spends on our knees, it can always be improved.

Since our precious Lord gave us an example of how to pray, I thought I would take what has been dubbed The Lord’s Prayer, or as the New King James Version entitles it, The Model Prayer, and make it a series.

In Matthew 6:9-13, Jesus gives us the prototype, “Pray like this:

Our Father in heaven,
may Your name be kept holy.
May Your Kingdom come soon.
May Your will be done on earth,
as it is in heaven.
Give us today the food we need,
and forgive us our sins,
as we have forgiven those who sin against us.
And don’t let us yield to temptation,
but rescue us from the evil one.” (NLT)

Some manuscripts add, “For Yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever. Amen.” I love that part!

Is prayer important? According to Jesus, it is. He spent a great deal of time on His knees. If He went to the garden, the hillside, or some other secluded place to spend time with His Father, how can we not think it is more important in our lives?

If God is our heavenly Father, how do we talk to Him? What tone do we use? Do we speak to Him...

* in respect, or disrespect, as we would our earthly father?
* in kind tones or in grumpiness?
* in belief of unbelief?
* in trust or in doubt?
* by shaking our fists at Him or raising our hands in praise?

Do we tell Him of our tender love for Him, or do we continually question Him as to why things are happening? Do we tell Him of our unreserved confidence in Him that He will always fulfill His promises? Do we praise Him for Who He is? Do we sit silently at His feet, just to be near Him?

Prayer is a private, exclusive audience with the King of heaven, spending time in His presence to worship Him and to love Him.

Prayer is like a child appealing to its father. Has your child ever crawled up in your lap just to snuggle with you because he or she loves you? Do you ever crawl up in the Father’s lap just to love on Him? He delights in that, just as you do.

Prayer is the development of our personal relationship with the Lord, as an intimate friend.

Prayer is communicating with the Lord, having an honest, heart-to-heart talk with Him. For this reason, prayer is a conversation, not a monologue! Conversing with Him implies listening to Him.

Prayer takes many forms, whether with many words, sitting silently, a look or glance of faith in the Lord’s direction, or on our faces on the floor, bawling into the carpet.

Though we have virtually perfected our horizontal conversations, we have seriously failed in our Vertical one. This spirit-converse can be found only when one retreats to that quiet place to listen for the intimate whisperings the Holy Spirit brings us from our Beloved Bridegroom.

David said of being in the Lord’s house, as only The Message can state it, “That’s the only quiet, secure place in a noisy world, the perfect getaway far from the buzz of traffic.” (Ps. 27:4) The frazzled racket of the world has deafened our ears to the whispers of heaven. If we don’t silence all the cacophony, we will never hear the voice of the Lord.

How important is prayer to us? “One day Jesus told His disciples a story to illustrate their need for constant prayer and to show them that they must keep praying until the answer comes.” (Luke 18:1 TLB)

~~Lord, may I sit at Your precious feet just to be with You and learn of You. Give me the strength to wait the timing of your answers.~~

How is your year ending? With what was it filled? Which side of the scale tipped over with the most weight...the positive side or the negative side?

Each year usually brings its own blend of...

* tears and smiles
* faith and unbelief
* strength and weakness
* pride and humility
* peace and unrest
* joy and distress
* a positive attitude and a negative one
* love and hate
* forgiveness and bitterness

But each year ends a little differently.

Some years, we feel like we are riding high and we almost fly across that year-end finish line...

Jon 'ShakataGaNai' DavisWikimedia Commons
Sometimes, the year goes by so quickly that we feel like we zoom across the finish line as if we were in a race car...


Occasionally, the year has such a crushing effect on us that we crawl across it like Holland Reynolds...



Though each year may hold its share of trials and/or tragedies, we endure the hardships with the help of the Father. At times, we are broken and stumble in agony across the finish line as Derek Redmond (Olympics 1992), who was helped by his father...


Paul said, “What a wonderful God we have-He is the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the source of every mercy, and the one who so wonderfully comforts and strengthens us in our hardships and trials.” (2 Cor. 1:3 TLB)

Not only do we have a heavenly Father that comforts and strengthens us, we also have a heavenly host as our cheering section, as the writer of Hebrews tells us, “Since we have such a huge crowd of men of faith watching us from the grandstands, let us strip off anything that slows us down or holds us back, and especially those sins that wrap themselves so tightly around our feet and trip us up; and let us run with patience the particular race that God has set before us.” (Heb. 12:1 TLB)

No matter how this year played out for you, the New Year offers you a new beginning. Whatever it brings your way, the Father will carry you through it all and bring a host of others to lift you up in prayer and encourage you in your walk.

My prayer for each of you is that your back be to the contrary circumstances of the year now closing, that your feet be firmly planted in the present, that your heart be guarded with the hope of a better new year, that your hands fulfill your calling, that your feet follow the Lord’s steps in all things, that your spirit be filled with faith, joy, and thanksgiving, that your life be filled with blessings, and that you will experience a new and special touch of the Lord’s presence upon all you do.

“So God created man in His own image, in the image of
God He created him; male and female He created them.”
Gen. 1:27 NIV
The Father says we are His family, His sons and daughters: “I will be a Father to you, and you will be sons and daughters to Me, says the Lord Almighty.” (2 Cor. 6:18 RGT)

Created in our heavenly Father’s image, we become His children through the shed blood of Jesus and indwelling of the Holy Spirit, just as the disciple John tells us, “As many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, to those who believe in His name.” (John 1:12 NKJV)

Matthew Henry said, “A sanctified soul bears the image of God, as the child bears the image of the father.”

Are you a parent? Do you have sons and/or daughters? Who do they look like? Who do they act like?

Do they say of your child, “The apple doesn’t fall far from the tree”? Or “He’s a chip off the old block”? Or “She’s the spitting image of her mother.” What do they mean? They mean he is just like his father, and she is just like her mother. Just a smaller version.

When you look at your child, do you see yourself, your spouse, or some other family member? Does your child have your eyes, your fingers, your build, your hair, your nose, your toes, your mouth, or does he or she have your mannerisms, talents, same interests, and so on? Then that child is like you, in the same manner, the same character.

Does your little boy follow Daddy around like a little shadow, wanting to imitate and pattern everything after his father – to walk like him, talk like him, act like him? Does your little girl dress up and pretend she’s grown up like Mommy? Little kids love to imitate. That’s how they learn.

When God looks at you, what does He see? He sees you as His child made in His own image. Paul said, “Therefore be imitators of God [copy Him and follow His example], as well-beloved children [imitate their father].” (Eph. 5:1 Amp)

So, how do we do that? We manifest the Father’s character in our daily lives, as Paul said, by living “soberly, righteously, and godly in the present age.” (Titus 2:12 NKJV)

Paul said that we also imitate our heavenly Father by putting on behavior marked by “tenderhearted pity and mercy, kind feeling, a lowly opinion of (ourselves), gentle ways, [and] patience [which is tireless and long-suffering, and has the power to endure whatever comes, with good temper].” (Col. 3:12 Amp)

Only by close interaction and contact with a parent will a child pick up the same habits, tendencies, likes and dislikes, and character of a parent. And so it is with us. To learn to be like God, we must be constantly in His presence, following Him around like a little shadow. (Or is that in His shadow?)

The Father desires His children to imitate Him, to listen to Him, to obey Him, and just to be with Him. But until we sit at the feet of our heavenly Father, we will not resemble Him nor our Elder Brother.

Jesus gave us a model for imitation. He said, “I’ve laid down a pattern for you. What I’ve done, you do.” (John 13:15 Msg)

He beckons us, “Follow Me!” But do we?

I was a Daddy’s girl. I loved my dad. I loved that I looked like him. He was a great man. A generous man. A godly man, honorable and well-respected. Qualities to be emulated.

I learned a lot from him…just by watching him.

Are you a parent? When you look at your child, do you see yourself, your spouse, or some other family member? Does your child “have” your eyes, your fingers, your build, your hair, your nose, your mouth?

Who does your child act like? Does he or she “have” your mannerisms, talents, same interests, and so on as you or your spouse? Then that child is like its parent, in the same manner, the same character. Just a smaller version.

Do you have a little boy who wants to imitate and pattern everything after his father – walk like him, talk like him, act like him? Does he follow Daddy around like a little shadow? The same is true of little girls wanting to mimic their mothers. Little kids love to imitate. That’s how they learn.

The Father says we are His family, His sons and daughters, “I will be a Father to you, and you will be sons and daughters to Me, says the Lord Almighty.” (2 Cor. 6:18 RGT)

When God looks at you, what does He see? He sees you as His child, made in His own image. If He made us all in His likeness, then we must put on His behavior and act like Him. We are His Name’s sake, His family.

Paul told the Romans, “For God, in His foreknowledge, chose them to bear the family likeness of His Son, that He might be the eldest of a family of many brothers. He chose them long ago; when the time came He called them, He made them righteous in His sight, and then lifted them to the splendour of life as His own sons.” (Rom. 8:28-30 Phillips)

He told the Ephesians, “Therefore be imitators of God [copy Him and follow His example], as well-beloved children [imitate their father].” (Eph. 5:1 Amp)

Just like our Brother Jesus copied His Father, we are to be like our Heavenly Father. Do what He does. Walk like He walks. Say what He says. Be what He is.

Only by close interaction and contact with the parent will a child pick up the same habits, tendencies, and character of the parent. And so it is with us. To learn to be like God and His Son, we must be constantly in His presence, following Him around like a little shadow. (Or is that in His shadow?)

The Father desires His children to learn of Him, to listen to Him, to obey Him, and just to be with Him. But until we sit at the feet of the Source of Peace, we will not resemble the Father of Peace or our Brother, the Prince of Peace. This is true with all the other qualities of God.

I want to be like my heavenly Daddy. In order to do that, I need to keep my eyes on Him, watching His every move.

Years ago, Amy Grant sang a song entitled Her Father’s Eyes. This last part is my prayer...

On that day when we will pay for all the deeds we’ve done
Good and bad they’ll all be had to see by everyone
And when you’re called to stand and tell just what you saw in me
More than anything I know, I want your words to be…

She had her father’s eyes, her father’s eyes
Eyes that found the good in things when good was not around
Eyes that found the source of help when help would not be found
Eyes full of compassion, seein’ every pain
Knowin’ what you’re goin’ through and feelin’ it the same.

~Yes, Lord, may I have Your eyes to see the needs of others, their pain, unrest, and confusion, and may I be Your hands of comfort and strength to lift them up, Your lips to give Your words of encouragement, Your ears to listen to them, Your shoulder on which they may lean, Your feet to walk with them, and Your heart of compassion to offer what they need. Amen!

Today, I share with you a story that I received as an email. I tried to find out the author but he or she remains anonymous. This story may be true or it may just be a legend. I found conflicting accounts. Either way, I hope you enjoy it.

Do you know the legend of the Cherokee Indian young male’s Rite of Passage?

The youth’s father takes him into the forest, blindfolds him, and leaves him alone. He is required to sit on a stump the whole night and not remove the blindfold until the rays of the morning sun shine through it. He cannot cry out for help to anyone.

During the night, the boy is naturally terrified. He hears all kinds of noises. The wind blows the grass. Wild beasts must surely be all around him. But he sits stoically, throughout the long night, never removing the blindfold.

Finally, after a horrific night, the sun appears and he removes his blindfold. It is then that he discovers his father sitting on the stump next to him. He had been at watch the entire night, protecting his son from harm.

Once the youth survives the night, he is a man. When he returns to his friends, he cannot tell them of this experience, because each lad must come into manhood on his own.

Moral of the story: Just because you can’t see God, doesn’t mean He is not there.

We are never alone. When the howling of circumstances surrounds us and the darkness of afflictions blinds us, we can know that the light of the Son is upon us and that the Father watches over us, sitting on the stump beside us.

“For we walk by faith, not by sight.”

Have you ever noticed the difference in parents that attend a child’s softball game? Let’s look at three very different dads that have taken their sons or daughters to the ball field…

1. One stays in the car, reads a book and pays no attention to his son or daughter.

2. One sits in the bleachers with his back turned to the field, chatting with others.

3. One sits, perched on the edge of his seat, his eyes glued to the son or daughter that is so dear to his heart. He fervently watches the whole field to see how the game is going. With earnest vigilance, he scans the other players to make sure no one does anything to bring harm or is unfair to his precious son or daughter.

He is ever prepared to spring to his feet, jump up and down with total delight, and scream as loud as he can in utter enjoyment when his son or daughter makes the most incredible catch or tries to inch his way closer to home plate.

When the game is over, win or lose, the father puts his arm around his child, pats him or her on the back, and says, “Good job!” Then, he proudly takes his child out for a treat as the reward for a great performance.

Now, let’s compare these three dads to our heavenly Father. Which one sounds like your heavenly Father…

1. He sits on His throne in heaven involved in other things, not paying much attention to you. You wonder where He is. Sometimes can’t seem to find Him.

2. He sits rigidly on His throne, arms folded across His chest, sternly watching every move you make, ready to point His finger at you and to whack you with His rod. You wonder if you will ever do anything right in His sight.

3. He sits, perched on the edge of His seat, His eyes glued to the child that is so dear to His heart. He fervently watches the whole field to see how the game is going. With earnest vigilance, He scans the other players to make sure no one does anything to bring harm or is unfair to His precious child.

He is ever prepared to spring to His feet, jump up and down with total delight, and scream as loud as He can in utter enjoyment when His child makes the most incredible catch or tries to inch his way closer to Home plate.

When the game is over, win or lose, the Father puts His arm around the child, pats him on the back, and says, “Good job! I give you your reward.”

If you have never pictured God as being actively involved in what you do, begin now. He (along with the whole host of heaven) is ever ready to jump to His feet in pure delight over each step of your faithfulness and obedience.

Let His joy be your comfort.