�I suspect the same individuals don't ask for forgiveness much either�
The question of forgiveness is a tough subject cause it's not depended on the guilty part acknowledging that his at fault, he may not even bother to come and ask for forgiveness. The unfortunate part will always be the wounded one! Often times we neglect our wounds but rather put more effort in forgiving the offender, which is a process also in asmuch as one may have decided to forgive sooner.
I appreciate you sharing your understanding of this parable, which is more based on the church. It left me with more questions that may seem irrelevant in a way, maybe it's because I related to it in a more home environment more than a church. I'm not condoning or supporting bitterness in the body of Christ! Rather I'm more focused on what causes people to react in a certain way. You're welcome to correct me if I somehow perceived this whole scenario in a wrong way.
Jesus could have left few details unsaid purposely which would be the reason for the questions that I have.
*With me it doesn't seem like the father had a father/son relationship with the Older son. They only related in a form of giving and taking orders in regard with the field and other home duties to have them done! This is where the question of obeying faithfully comes forth as a complain from the Older son in verse29!
*This is me now assessing this in my little mind, I would still be wrong! It seems like the Younger son was a spoiled one to even have a nerve of asking for the portion of the will allocated to him. This communicates a higher level of disrespect and dishonour to his father. We can almost say that he said to his father, �You're as good as dead to me already, so give me my portion!� But then again we're not suppose to add or subtract from the scripture! Though it questions how they related since it eventually come down to this conversation.
*It's very possible that bitterness and anger from the Older son was aroused by neglection since we're not told of the father having an intimate bond with the son who remained home! All we hear about the father is that he kept waiting by the gate. If they had any bond developed during the absence of the Younger son, they would have had a man to man talk and have issues resolved and addressed about their personal relationship and the return of the Younger son. The older brother wouldn't have been angry as he was at the end!
* The focus on the Younger son was so much that the father didn't realize even once that he was losing the present son too? How does he worry so much about the one whose already away at the expense of losing the �present� useful one? Do we seriously think that his angry because of his brother's return or his angry of the opportunities that were missed when he could have bonded and enjoy his father's attention? Does this mean that the father cares less about the lost one?
I have endless questions about this parable. To a certain point, I'm wondering if this father didn't contribute on his Older son feeling so angry and bitter. That's why I said earlier, �I'm not condoning bitterness but rather trying to figure out, what really caused it from the first place that he should be disqualified when he has served faithfully for years for a servant who had no effort, who rather returned home out of selfishness!�
So plane tickets booked and she drops this bomb shell..
Posted : 26 Oct, 2014 01:42 AM
Hi Graham!
In asmuch disappointing as this seems right now cause you've already bought the ticket, be very glad that she revealed this earlier when you can still withdraw even if it means forfitting your money if you would dicede not to fly to America. Imagine if she was to tell you this when you're already there maybe on your first meeting inperson? It would have ruined the entire experience not to mention wasting your time too let alone your money!
I think you should carry on with your visitation cause you've always wanted to visit America and since you won't be refunded, might as well. And yes it won't be the same as it would have had she not tell you this BUT hey be glad that you know now rather than latter when you would have been there already!
It was very thoughtful of you to invest effort into this, pity...
I certainly have met awesome people and made quality friendship that has carried on through personal emails with few member who no longer partake here. I can't really say much about finding love cause I registered here to enjoy the fellowship in the forum as we share and express different thoughts on a specific subject discussed.
All I can say is, it's your responsibility to ensure that you enjoy your stay in this dating site. Fellowship with us not only for your spiritual growth but for recognition also especially if you're hoping to find love too when making friends. Expose your self to be noticed and express your thoughts on a discussed subject if you find it interesting enough to partake on it.
Wishing you the very best and looking forth in enjoying your company along with others that I enjoy fellowship with!
Since the Older son served for years and eventually got lost too while he was yet home without knowing that his now losing the race,
Do you somehow think that, the more years we remain on earth and most probably serving God, we could be missing the race due to incidents that take place as trails and leave us with such scares that we carry on serving not knowing that our attitude has turned from the one we had joyfully in our early days with Christ?
Hello my brother and much appreciation for sharing your understating of this parable!
I related to it in a more personal home set up than a church as you referred to. I couldn't help it but to note some form of rejection so to speak and ignorance of the Older son's efforts which brought forth anger and a sense of bitterness seeing the father throwing a huge party for the return of his younger son! What really got to me though when searching about the Older son, was that his also referred to as, �The lost son who remained home�.
I knew right there that he was in even more danger of remaining lost cause physically he was home with the father while there younger one is literally lost somewhere. This confirmed what had always bothered me about lost souls in Christ within the church when there's such a concern of soul winning to be done out there!
When referring to lost ones' in Christ, I mean the very members who were once won but circumstances striped them of their faith, only they have chosen to remain in Christ and serve.
This is where my issue is with wasted efforts in Christ! Where ones efforts are overlooked especially now that there are new souls in the picture. Was the Younger son referring to his brothers hard work when thinking of the loafs that are enough for the servants to eat and spare? (Weather its in a home set up or the church)
Both sons were lost... Yes! only the older one didn't realize that his also lost for his attitude! Though he invested effort for years. Most probably he might have wanted to leave too but he stayed and served. My inner questions are, �Could this be the case in judgement day? New members could have been running home to the Father and share in your efforts while you're being disqualified? Is there a possibility that our efforts might be invain in Christ if they are the reason why we decided to stay even in harder times?
Those are just inner question that you don't have to answer dear one unless you're willing to travel that extra mile.
It's a very familiar passage about the prodigal Son. I've observed that in the beginning of this passage, we're told of a Father having two sons but to my surprise I'm amazed at how less focus the passage is on the Older son who stayed home when the Younger one went away to waste the portion of inheritance allocated to him.
This passage consist of 22verses, the first 14verses are totally revolving around the Father and His lost son! It's only towards the end of the passage in verse25-32 that the older son is only mention in passing. I then wondered and searched more about this less mentioned son, trying to figure out what was he doing in the mean time the father keeps standing and watching by the gate if his lost son would be coming home.
It turns out that the older son was faithfully serving in his father's field in verse25 when his first mentioned. Already I passive him hardworking, submissive, devoted, loyal, obedient and committed! The father seem to have had it all if he were to pay attention and take note of the older son.
In verse29, do you think that the Older son is angry that the Younger one is back home after wasting their fathers' wealth or his angry that he served faithfully through out the years and was never rewarded not even with a young goat to share with his friends?
Putting myself in the Older son's shoes I understand his argument and where his coming from as a son who has chosen not to rebel! It's not like he didn't know that his untitled to the fathers wealth, his not claiming to be "good" either but nonetheless he stayed home and served obediently! Whereas the younger "selfish" son didn't return home with a genuine attitude of reconciling with the father, hunger brought him home! Please observe verse17,
�But when he came to himself, he said, How many of my father's hired servants have bread enough and to spare, and I perish with hunger!'...�
Isn't it only human nature for the Older son to be bitter looking at the circumstances?
I'm encountering a spiritual season of brokenness that striped me everything I though I had and left me with nothing but fragment of broken heart to work on collecting and submit to God for restoration! I couldn't help it but to ask God aggressively why would He claim to love me and yet lead me to such horror? These are times were the word "love" missed it's impact along with it's meaning! I started searching what does it really mean being called "beloved". Clearly it's gonna be a lifetime search cause there's weigh more to learn and discover if I'm to keep the search rooted on the source of love Himself (God).
Calling one "beloved" is quite a claim Joy if one is to be clued-up of what the word contains in depth! One of the few factors I've discovered about love is being willing to sacrifices and release. Heavens released and sacrificed it's very treasure, Christ! The sacrifice was in the same basket with it's condition. You cannot select one benefit and neglect the other, it's all or nothing! In asmuch as God so loved the world (every human kind unconditionally) He layed bear His condition for acceptance, �No one comes to the Father except through Christ!�
Can love be learned somewhere else other than from the source it self? Since God has sacrificed His treasure with a condition, what does this say about human kind who love conditionally let alone stating conditions of acceptance too? I think it's a question of calculating the WORTH versus KEEPING. If I love unselfishly and thoughtfully, is it worth keeping him if sacrificing him means the very happiness that he'll be enjoying with someone else?
Unfortunately dear sis there's much to consider in regard to your partners happiness especially if this will really be a life time experience. To a certain extend it may be necessarily to release for the sake of the other ones' happiness.
It boils down to openness and honesty when having this conversation.
�My question to you my sister is this...would you want to faithfully pursue a relationship with an individual like this, knowing what you now know?�
That's a very tough question sis! I'll try to answer you with more questions that I often find myself having during inner conversations with myself.
* How far will I go in regard with protecting my loved one from finding himself partaking in my own brokenness?
* Won't love inspire me to release him to be happier else where even when he thinks that his happy being with me?
* Wouldn't I be happier knowing that his not only happy else where but his even privileged with benefits and fruits that would have been rightfully his if he were to end up being a husband?
* Does love keep or leases if you can't offer what the other may need?
�
Maybe I would have taken advantage of being invited to a date once or twice but would soon eventually reveal my limits (what I can't offer if I were to be a wife) and release him fore why should I keep him and deprive him benefits he could have had else were on a health marriage relationship.
