OPEN HEAVENS DAILY DEVOTIONAL
DATE: TUESDAY JANUARY 30TH, 2024.
THEME: SERVANT OR SON?
MEMORISE:
I will be his father, and he shall be my son: and I will not take my mercy away from him, as I took it from him that was before thee:
1 Chronicles 17:13
READ: Luke 15:11-32
11 And he said, A certain man had two sons:
12 And the younger of them said to his father, Father, give me the portion of goods that falleth to me. And he divided unto them his living.
13 And not many days after the younger son gathered all together, and took his journey into a far country, and there wasted his substance with riotous living.
14 And when he had spent all, there arose a mighty famine in that land; and he began to be in want.
15 And he went and joined himself to a citizen of that country; and he sent him into his fields to feed swine.
15 And he would fain have filled his belly with the husks that the swine did eat: and no man gave unto him.
17 And when he came to himself, he said, How many hired servants of my father's have bread enough and to spare, and I perish with hunger!
18 I will arise and go to my father, and will say unto him, Father, I have sinned against heaven, and before thee,
19 And am no more worthy to be called thy son: make me as one of thy hired servants.
20 And he arose, and came to his father. But when he was yet a great way off, his father saw him, and had compassion, and ran, and fell on his neck, and kissed him.
21 And the son said unto him, Father, I have sinned against heaven, and in thy sight, and am no more worthy to be called thy son.
22 But the father said to his servants, Bring forth the best robe, and put it on him; and put a ring on his hand, and shoes on his feet:
23 And bring hither the fatted calf, and kill it; and let us eat, and be merry:
24 For this my son was dead, and is alive again; he was lost, and is found. And they began to be merry.
25 Now his elder son was in the field: and as he came and drew nigh to the house, he heard musick and dancing.
26 And he called one of the servants, and asked what these things meant.
27 And he said unto him, Thy brother is come; and thy father hath killed the fatted calf, because he hath received him safe and sound.
28 And he was angry, and would not go in: therefore came his father out, and intreated him.
29 And he answering said to his father, Lo, these many years do I serve thee, neither transgressed I at any time thy commandment: and yet thou never gavest me a kid, that I might make merry with my friends:
30 But as soon as this thy son was come, which hath devoured thy living with harlots, thou hast killed for him the fatted calf.
31 And he said unto him, Son, thou art ever with me, and all that I have is thine.
32 It was meet that we should make merry, and be glad: for this thy brother was dead, and is alive again; and was lost, and is found.
MESSAGE:
Whenever I insist that I am not a servant of God, but a son of God, some wonder whether there's a difference between children of God and servants of God. Simply put, a son of God has several advantages that a servant of God does not have.
In John 8:35, the Bible says that, unlike a servant, a son abides in the house forever. A servant can resign or be sacked, but a son cannot be sacked. When a father says, "I reject you as my child, I disown you," it is a joke because his blood is running in the child; he can't take the blood away. Hence, a child will always be in the house. The implications of this alone are many. Psalm
23:6, for example, says: "Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life: and I will dwell in the house of the LORD forever." The one who dwells in the house forever has the assurance that goodness and mercy shall follow him forever. Also, according to Psalm 91:1, "He that dwelleth in the secret place of the Most High shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty"
A servant is always a visitor; he comes into the presence of the master when he is needed and goes out when he is not needed. A son, however, is a dweller; he stays in the house all the time. Furthermore, according to John 5:20, the son sees everything that the father does; the servant does not see everything his master does. There is beauty and joy in knowing what God is doing and being able to see ahead of time what God is going to do. For example, years ago, when problems were brewing, I told those close to me, "Trouble is coming, but at the end of it somebody is going to laugh," and so it happened because I have the privilege as a son to see what my Father is doing.
There are certain things that can happen to servants that will never happen to children. For example, as good as Job was, God called him "My servant," little wonder God allowed Satan to experiment with him (Job 1:8-12). My Father will never permit the enemy to experiment with my health, resources or anything that concerns me because l am His son.
Tomorrow, by His grace, I will commence a study on how to become a son of God.
KEY POINT
Being a son of God is superior to just being His servant.
BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: Leviticus 8-10
AUTHOR: PASTOR E.A. ADEBOYE
HYMN 27: WHAT A FRIEND WE HAVE IN JESUS
1 What a friend we have in Jesus,
all our sins and griefs to bear!
What a privilege to carry
everything to God in prayer!
O what peace we often forfeit,
O what needless pain we bear,
all because we do not carry
everything to God in prayer!
2 Have we trials and temptations?
Is there trouble anywhere?
We should never be discouraged;
take it to the Lord in prayer!
Can we find a friend so faithful
who will all our sorrows share?
Jesus knows our every weakness;
take it to the Lord in prayer!
3 Are we weak and heavy laden,
cumbered with a load of care?
Precious Savior, still our refuge--
take it to the Lord in prayer!
Do your friends despise, forsake you?
Take it to the Lord in prayer!
In his arms he'll take and shield you;
you will find a solace there
