Party Time

Whether they are big parties or small parties it is  always fun to have a party.  In the picture above taken many years ago it was custom in my, Marilyn's, family to celebrate every child and adult relative's birthday with a party.  It included many presents and a lot of good food.  And it was a good way for the cousins to get to know each other better and the adults to share in the lives of the other adults.  It was a way of keeping connected and sharing the parenting and farming activities which all the relatives were engaged in.  It brought the families together physically and emotionally.  I talk a little about such events in my book, I've Always Been Rich.   Such activities were necessary when life offered few other outlets to celebrate.  These were simple parties that satisfied  our basic needs at the time.  However, the kind of party I want to develop in this blog goes deeper and fills a much more significant  role in our life.
Recently I heard a speaker talk about how we as Christian have reason to celebrate, to have a party.  We are all made in God's image, we, who have received Christ as our Lord and Savior, have the joy of celebrating a continuing relationship with Him, we have the knowledge that He will be with us no matter our situation, we have the privilege of receiving GRACE from God, and we have the assurance of spending eternity in heaven.  Wow, that really gives us reason to celebrate. And these all are developed in the concept of Grace.
In order to fully develop  the concept of grace, which I promised in last week's blog, I will quote what Dr. David Jeremiah wrote in his book, Grace Givers.  Dr. Jeremiah assumes the reader will know the story of the prodigal son but for those who aren't acquainted with it, it is found in the gospel of Luke, the 11th chapter.  I quote, " Even the selfish calculating Prodigal cannot withstand the sight of his running, weeping father surrendering his high position to meet him at the edge of disgrace.  In that moment grace takes him captive, and he sees what his rebellious soul has not until now allowed him to see: the beauty of his father's love, the absolute value of his acceptance, the sweet joys of loyalty and obedience. As far as his conscience goes, no one need tell him the depth of the pain he has brought to his home.  He knows it now not simply with his mind but in the furthest depths of his heart.  The heart is broken, yet his soul is mended.  Such is the supernatural event of grace" unquote.  Key words which relate to God's love fully as much as  to the father of the prodigal: beauty of our father's (God) love, absolute value of His acceptance, sweet joys of loyalty and obedience.  God is waiting for us to come home and accept his unfathomable love - His Grace.
We have cause to party, we have cause to celebrate, we have cause to share this joy with others, when we accept His love and obey His will for our life. God's love was so massive that He sent His only Son, Jesus Christ, to earth to pay  the penalty for our sins. When the prodigal came home and the father received him, the immediate reaction was to throw a party for his lost but found son.  They celebrated.  A ring was put on his son's finger, a robe was given to replace his soiled and tattered garments, the fatted calf was butchered to feed those who came to celebrate with them and they had a party.  The ultimate party will be when Jesus comes again and we go with Him to celebrate the great wedding feast with Him in glory.  GRACE!
Marilyn Rensink    email  mjrevmo6@aol.com  Books available at Amazon.com  BarnesandNoble.com and your local Christian bookstore.