What are we waiting for?

When I signed back into my Blog, after not looking at it for a number of months, I found this half written post. So, this morning, I decided to finish and post it.

I'm not even sure how old it is.....

I was meditating on the prodigal son story this morning

specifically what the father says to the older son

"My Son, you are always with me, and all that I have is yours'

I was struck about how the Father would have given the older Son a big party whenever he had asked, but he never asked.

The brother was working hard trying to earn his fathers love and 'generosity'

but he already had those things. The whole time.

He's slogging his guts out trying so hard, and he'll never make it because he already has it.

Why do we do that? (I don't think it's just me)

Work hard, and heap up expectation on ourselves of what I need to do, how well I need to do it, how I need to live, what My life should look like so that the Father will love me and be generous. 

Generous with the inheritance

Either working till I've earned it, or waiting until it becomes mine.

The brother had access to the wealth of the Father, but he never accessed it. The Father waited for his Son to take, and use it, but he never did.

What we have here is a failure to communicate.

The riches of God are already ours. We don't have to wait for our inheritance. God says 'You are always with me, and all I have is yours' And we certainly don't have to earn it. Are not able to even!! The younger Son most certainly didn't earn it! But he got it.

If we're waiting until we're dead before we enjoy all that God has for us while we're here, then we've kinda missed the point.