Time to Party

Welcome to today's encouragement from Our Daily Bread.

I'm Gwen Collier and I wrote today's piece entitled, Time to Party. Our former church in Virginia held baptisms in the Ravenna River where often the sunshine is warm but the water is frigid. After our Sunday service, we'd load into our cars and caravan to a city park where neighbors tossed frisbees and kids mobbed the playground. We were quite a spectacle, traipsing to the river's edge.

Standing in the icy water, I would offer scripture and immerse those being baptized into this tangible expression of God's love. As they emerged, soaked to the bone, cheers and clapping erupted. Climbing up the bank, friends and families enveloped the newly baptized in hugs, everyone getting drenched. We had cake, drinks and snacks.

The neighbors watching didn't always understand what was happening, but they knew it was a celebration. In Luke 15, Jesus' story of the prodigal son reveals that it's cause for celebration whenever someone returns home to God. Anytime someone says yes to God's invitation, it's time to party. When the son who'd abandoned his father returned, the father immediately insisted on showering him with a designer robe, a shiny ring and new shoes. Bring the fatted calf, he said. Let's have a feast and celebrate.

A massive, exuberant party, including whoever would join the reverie, was a fitting way to celebrate. Today's Our Daily Bread devotional scripture reading is from Luke chapter 15 verses 11 to 13 and 17 to 24. Jesus continued, There was a man who had two sons. The younger one said to his father, Father, give me my share of the estate. So he divided his property between them.

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. Now picking up at verse 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. I will set out and go back to my father and say to him, Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son.

Make me like one of your hired servants. 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. The son said to him, Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son. 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. Bring the fatted calf and kill it. Let's have a feast and celebrate. For this son of mine was dead and is alive again.

He was lost and is found. So they began to celebrate. Let's pray. Dear God, we have much to celebrate, and this joy flows from you and your work in our life. In Jesus' name we pray. Amen. Today's encouragement was provided by Our Daily Bread Ministries.