An Heir and Successor

Meditations for Ragamuffins

September 28, 2023

An Heir and Successor

“So he returned home to his father. And while he was still a long way off, his father saw him coming. Filled with love and compassion, he ran to his son, embraced him, and kissed him.”

Luke 15:20 

Henri Nouwen does a masterful job of taking us deep into the meaning of Jesus’ parable of the Prodigal Son: "What I am called to make true is that whether I am the younger or elder son, I am the son of my compassionate Father. I am an heir. As son and heir, I am to become successor. I am destined to step into my Father's place and offer to others the same compassion that he has offered me. The return to the Father is ultimately the challenge to become the Father.” (The Return of the Prodigal Son: A Story of Homecoming, Henri J. M. Nouwen, Continuum Intl Pub Group. January 1996)

However, for me, I didn’t begin to plumb the true depth of this parable until I began to understand the depth of Jesus’ compassion. The Greek word translated as compassion has its origins in a noun that refers to intestines, bowels or entrails. Jesus doesn’t just feel pity, sympathy, or empathy for us. “His heart was torn, his gut wrenched, the most vulnerable part of his being laid bare.” (Brennan Manning)

This incomprehensible depth of God’s compassion is the driving force for the comfort of God affirmed by Saint Paul in 2 Corinthians 1: 3, “God is our merciful Father and the source of all comfort.” Nouwen noted that “I am destined to step into my Father's place and offer to others the same compassion that he has offered me.” Saint Paul writes, “(God) comforts us in all our troubles so that we can comfort others” (2 Corinthians 1:4a).

My Takeaway: There have been times when my heart was torn, my gut wrenched, and the most vulnerable part of my being laid bare. But I have been very careful about when, or for whom, I have experienced such depths of compassion. I wonder what would happen if I let my guard down and begin to experience the Godly compassion that comes with being an heir and a successor destined to step into my Father's place.

Sē’lah

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(Selah is a word that appears in the Book of Psalms that I often use as the Complimentary Closing in my correspondence. Its meaning, as I use the word, is to pause and think about these things.)

 

These meditations are written by Alex M. Knight as he seeks the life in Christ as his way of life.  The meditations are published on the BLOG, http://seekingthelifeinchrist.blogspot.com/ and they are also distributed on the Constant Contact email server. You may subscribe to this email service by sending an email to: amkrom812@gmail.com.

 

Copyright © 2023 by Alex M. Knight

 

Unless otherwise indicated, all Scripture quotations are taken from the Unless otherwise indicated, all Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.