August 28, 2009, "Overwhelmed By His Loving Mercy"
Triumphant Victorious Reminders
Inspired by the Holy Spirit
Written By: Teresa Criswell
"...Filled with love and compassion, he ran to his son, embraced him, and kissed him..."
~ Luke 15:11-32 ~
"I am overwhelmed with joy in the LORD my God! For he has dressed me with the clothing of salvation and draped me in a robe of righteousness. I am like a bridegroom in his wedding suit or a bride with her jewels."
~ Isaiah 61:10 ~
He cried with great regret, "What have I done?" "I have nothing, it is all gone."
His head and hair filled with dirt. His sandals badly torn. His clothes consumed with dirt as rips, tears, and holes were all that were left of his robe. Sweat dripped off his forehead. As sweat dripped down his face it revealed the many layers of dirt upon his face as it left long marks of dark lines tracing his sun beat face.
He didn't know where to go or what to do. Condemnation surrounded him. I can see this huge twister behind him bellowing the reminders of his regrets, it so overwhelmed him that he fell to the ground weeping.
However, something inside of him said, "Get up! Go home!" He laid lifeless on the ground when the voice inside spoke louder and said, "Get up! Go home!" With great effort and with deep breaths he rose up to his feet and gathered all the strength left as he was reminded of the great abundant life that he left behind. As he rose up, he was reminded by the voices of condemnation, "You have no where to go." "What you have done is unforgivable, they have forgotten about you." "Don't disgrace yourself, suck it up, you did this to yourself, now live with it!" Even then those voices could not stop him from going home.
As he walked for miles, he suddenly saw his home in the distance. The landmark of home had come into sight and his stride became longer and quicker. His stride transitioned from a fast walk to a jog. From a jog to a run.
As he ran, from a distance he could see a familiar silhouette; but he could not make it out as it ran towards him. Suddenly, he realized the silhouette as it came closer was none other than his father. His father's outstretched hands engulfed him in the most powerful embrace. As he violently in passionate love, embraced his son the momentum of his embrace caused them to fall to the ground as he wept over his son's return.
As they rose up, I can imagine the father kissing his son all over his face, all 'manly' pride put aside. His father celebrated his son's return, immediately he went into a 'state' of celebration!
As they arrived to their beautiful home, he had his servants retrive the finest robe in the house, cleaned his son off and placed the finest robe upon him. He then told his servants to get his son a ring for his finger, and retrieve sandals for his feet. Then the servants were told to get the best of the best calf, one I am sure they could have made some good money on, but instead he said, "Go kill the calf we have been fattening, for we must celebrate with a feast! For this son of mine was dead and has now returned to life. He was lost, but now he is found. So the PARTY began!"
The prodigal son. The prodigal daughter. Were you once a prodigal? I was.
I no longer call myself a prodigal any longer, for His mercy and His love brought great change.
He calls me His Redeemed Daughter!
When He rescued me and embraced me from a life filled with sin, he cleansed me, placed beauty upon me as the ashes upon my head were removed and washed away. He took of my heavy, torn, ragged clothing and replaced it with His beautiful garment of righteousness and praise. I went from being lost to being found.
I love how the father gave his son the best robe, a ring on his finger and new sandals.
The robe of righteousness replaced the heavy cloak of unrighteousness.
The ring placed on his finger was to identify who he was and who he belonged to.
The shoes placed on his feet, are like the gospel of peace that leads to the path of righteousness, replacing the torn sandals that led to the crooked paths of destruction.
Lord, I thank You that You celebrated my return to You.
Thank you for my earthly father who placed a ring on my finger in October 2002, when I was still astray to remind me who I truly belonged to. Thank you Father for my dad!
March 2003, he welcomed me with open arms, he has never reminded me of what I use to do, but only encourages me as he sees You are being revealed in my life.
Thank You Lord that my earthly father reveals a glimpse of Your love.
Thank You Father!
Many of us can not understand such mercy. Like the older son who couldn't understand such mercy he felt was ignorance to have a party for this brother who blew it? He lived a horrible life, he deserves to have some major consequences, not a party! Many have worked hard and they have done what they were suppose to, and there was no celebration for them. And then out of all things to waste the best profitable calf on him? Come on, you have lost your mind.
I love what the father says to the older brother, 'Look dear son, you and I are very close, and everything I have is yours. We had to celebrate this happy day. For your brother was dead and has come back to life! He was lost, but now he is found!"
Today as I am reminded of my Father God's loving embrace the day He welcomed me into His long awaited arms, I pray You know and feel His loving embrace towards You. The Father has never embraced our sins; He embraces us. Let Him love on you like you could never imagine! Just let Him love you.
Allow His passionate, loving embrace overtake and overwhelm you.
Inspired by the Holy Spirit
Written By: Teresa Criswell
"...Filled with love and compassion, he ran to his son, embraced him, and kissed him..."
~ Luke 15:11-32 ~
"I am overwhelmed with joy in the LORD my God! For he has dressed me with the clothing of salvation and draped me in a robe of righteousness. I am like a bridegroom in his wedding suit or a bride with her jewels."
~ Isaiah 61:10 ~
He cried with great regret, "What have I done?" "I have nothing, it is all gone."
His head and hair filled with dirt. His sandals badly torn. His clothes consumed with dirt as rips, tears, and holes were all that were left of his robe. Sweat dripped off his forehead. As sweat dripped down his face it revealed the many layers of dirt upon his face as it left long marks of dark lines tracing his sun beat face.
He didn't know where to go or what to do. Condemnation surrounded him. I can see this huge twister behind him bellowing the reminders of his regrets, it so overwhelmed him that he fell to the ground weeping.
However, something inside of him said, "Get up! Go home!" He laid lifeless on the ground when the voice inside spoke louder and said, "Get up! Go home!" With great effort and with deep breaths he rose up to his feet and gathered all the strength left as he was reminded of the great abundant life that he left behind. As he rose up, he was reminded by the voices of condemnation, "You have no where to go." "What you have done is unforgivable, they have forgotten about you." "Don't disgrace yourself, suck it up, you did this to yourself, now live with it!" Even then those voices could not stop him from going home.
As he walked for miles, he suddenly saw his home in the distance. The landmark of home had come into sight and his stride became longer and quicker. His stride transitioned from a fast walk to a jog. From a jog to a run.
As he ran, from a distance he could see a familiar silhouette; but he could not make it out as it ran towards him. Suddenly, he realized the silhouette as it came closer was none other than his father. His father's outstretched hands engulfed him in the most powerful embrace. As he violently in passionate love, embraced his son the momentum of his embrace caused them to fall to the ground as he wept over his son's return.
As they rose up, I can imagine the father kissing his son all over his face, all 'manly' pride put aside. His father celebrated his son's return, immediately he went into a 'state' of celebration!
As they arrived to their beautiful home, he had his servants retrive the finest robe in the house, cleaned his son off and placed the finest robe upon him. He then told his servants to get his son a ring for his finger, and retrieve sandals for his feet. Then the servants were told to get the best of the best calf, one I am sure they could have made some good money on, but instead he said, "Go kill the calf we have been fattening, for we must celebrate with a feast! For this son of mine was dead and has now returned to life. He was lost, but now he is found. So the PARTY began!"
The prodigal son. The prodigal daughter. Were you once a prodigal? I was.
I no longer call myself a prodigal any longer, for His mercy and His love brought great change.
He calls me His Redeemed Daughter!
When He rescued me and embraced me from a life filled with sin, he cleansed me, placed beauty upon me as the ashes upon my head were removed and washed away. He took of my heavy, torn, ragged clothing and replaced it with His beautiful garment of righteousness and praise. I went from being lost to being found.
I love how the father gave his son the best robe, a ring on his finger and new sandals.
The robe of righteousness replaced the heavy cloak of unrighteousness.
The ring placed on his finger was to identify who he was and who he belonged to.
The shoes placed on his feet, are like the gospel of peace that leads to the path of righteousness, replacing the torn sandals that led to the crooked paths of destruction.
Lord, I thank You that You celebrated my return to You.
Thank you for my earthly father who placed a ring on my finger in October 2002, when I was still astray to remind me who I truly belonged to. Thank you Father for my dad!
March 2003, he welcomed me with open arms, he has never reminded me of what I use to do, but only encourages me as he sees You are being revealed in my life.
Thank You Lord that my earthly father reveals a glimpse of Your love.
Thank You Father!
Many of us can not understand such mercy. Like the older son who couldn't understand such mercy he felt was ignorance to have a party for this brother who blew it? He lived a horrible life, he deserves to have some major consequences, not a party! Many have worked hard and they have done what they were suppose to, and there was no celebration for them. And then out of all things to waste the best profitable calf on him? Come on, you have lost your mind.
I love what the father says to the older brother, 'Look dear son, you and I are very close, and everything I have is yours. We had to celebrate this happy day. For your brother was dead and has come back to life! He was lost, but now he is found!"
Today as I am reminded of my Father God's loving embrace the day He welcomed me into His long awaited arms, I pray You know and feel His loving embrace towards You. The Father has never embraced our sins; He embraces us. Let Him love on you like you could never imagine! Just let Him love you.
Allow His passionate, loving embrace overtake and overwhelm you.
Oh, Teresa, your comment on my 'Thankful Thursday' post blesses me to no end. Thank you for sharing your thoughts and your emotions. This post, as well, moves me and reminds me of me too as it should.
ReplyDelete"The Father has never embraced our sins; He embraces us."
This sentence really is the key to our salvation and one which often is forgotten or overlooked. We turn to Him, repent, are grateful for His saving grace and then don't recall that our sins are no more, not remembered. We often get into self-pity and unforgivingness of even ourselves. God truly does 'embrace us'.
"Let Him love on you like you could never imagine! Just let Him love
you." Amen.
Caring through Christ, ~ linda
Amen! Amen! :)
ReplyDeleteWhat an amazing earthly father you have ~ what a beautiful reflection of the Father's heart!!
Is your book available to purchase?? I would love to read even more of your writings!!!
Blessings to you!!