Journey to the Cross 
Pause
Great is thy faithfulness, O God my Father,
there is no shadow of turning with thee.
Thou changest not, thy compassions, they fail not;
as thou hast been, thou forever wilt be.
Great is thy faithfulness!
Great is thy faithfulness!
Morning by morning new mercies I see;
all I have needed thy hand hath provided.
Great is thy faithfulness, Lord, unto me!
Thomas O. Chisolm in “Great Is Thy Faithfulness” (1923)
Listen
“Now his older son was in the field. Coming in from the field, he approached the house and heard music and dancing. He called one of the servants and asked what was going on. The servant replied, ‘Your brother has arrived, and your father has slaughtered the fattened calf because he received his son back safe and sound.’ Then the older son was furious and didn’t want to enter in, but his father came out and begged him.”
Luke 15:25-28
Think
Sometimes we are like the parable’s younger brother, overwhelmed with God’s forgiveness when we are sure we don’t deserve it. But sometimes we see ourselves in the story’s older brother, outraged by God’s forgiveness when we are sure someone else doesn’t deserve it.
The older brother — who never left home, who never wasted his inheritance, who never caused his dad one bit of worry — can’t believe that his good-for-nothing sibling gets a party. He’s probably more than a little like the religious leaders from Monday’s reading who can’t believe Jesus is eating with the cheaters and wrongdoers.
When this jealousy comes on, it doesn’t bring out the best in us. Trying to control God so the “wrong” people don’t get grace is not only impossible; it’s also dumb. As sure as there are people we think should not receive grace, there are others convinced we should not receive it either.
What would it look like to be grateful for God’s unfailing compassion – wherever it falls?
Chip Hardwick
Pray
Lord Jesus, I have a hard time living into your grace. I give thanks when you forgive me, but sometimes I don’t like to think about other people receiving that same grace. Change my heart, that I would be as generous with my love as you. Amen.
Go
Pardon for sin and a peace that endureth,
thine own dear presence to cheer and to guide,
strength for today and bright hope for tomorrow,
blessings all mine, with ten thousand beside!
Great is thy faithfulness!
Great is thy faithfulness!
Morning by morning new mercies I see;
all I have needed thy hand hath provided.
Great is thy faithfulness, Lord, unto me!
Thomas O. Chisolm in “Great Is Thy Faithfulness” (1923)
