Luke 15:29 And he answering said to his father, Lo, these many years do I serve thee, neither transgressed I at any time thy commandment: and yet thou never gavest me a kid, that I might make merry with my friends: 30 But as soon as this thy son was come, which hath devoured thy living with harlots, thou hast killed for him the fatted calf.
This elder brother was what we would have considered a model worker, and yet he did not know his father’s heart. He did not understand what motivated his father. I can almost hear his mind working. He’s thinking, “You know, I don’t understand what’s wrong with my dad. We’ve never had finer crops. Look at the cattle, how sleek and fat they are. Look at the barns, how freshly painted, how large and wonderful they are. Look at all the workers we have coming and going. Everything looks so fine. I don’t know what’s wrong with my father. My father just seems to sit there. He never seems to be completely satisfied, no matter how wonderful the farm is, no matter how beautiful everything is. My father seems to have a faraway look in his eyes. I don’t know what’s wrong with my father.”
I’ll tell you what was wrong with the father. He had a broken heart over a son that was away from home. I want to ask you a question. What do you think God is primarily concerned about? Do you know the heart of the Father? Or are you so wrapped up in all the things you can do for Him that you don’t know what’s on His heart and mind? What are some examples from your life of ways you can constantly work for God but still miss what’s important to God? How might you spend time with God this week to learn what’s on His heart? Take time this week in the Scripture where you aren’t “doing” anything for God but instead seeking just to be with Him and learn His heart.
This devotional was written by Pastor/teacher Adrian Rogers. The Copyright owner is Love Worth Finding. Used with written permission. You may contact lwf.org and be blessed directly and freely by Biblical teaching.
