A Partying Proximity!

Last updated on: April 16, 2007 at 2:14 pm by David Hayward

A Partying Proximity! 2007-04-16T14:14:45-04:00 David Hayward

LOGO Patheos Explore the world's faith through different perspectives on religion and spirituality! Patheos has the views of the prevalent religions and spiritualities of the world.

Yesterday I took a break (or gave the people a break) from my teaching, and Kathy Mullin spoke, one of the community’s elders or leaders or whatever you want to call her. I always love it when she speaks because she is a wise and articulate communicator of the essence of the gospel. She spoke on the prodigal son. Funny, because I’d been thinking about that story all week. On top of that, Lisa had just purchased Henri Nouwen’s book The Prodigal Son for me just last Thursday.

I was thoroughly blown away by how clearly Kathy made the point that both sons, the prodigal and the elder, had a skewed understanding of the father’s love for them and their relationship with them. The prodigal son, after he had squandered all his father’s money on whores and a life of debauchery, finally ending up craving pig-slop for food, decides to return to his father and beg for a chance just to work as one of his hired hands. He is no longer worthy to be called a son, and even a servant’s position with his father was better than what he presently had. But the older brother was really no different. Even though he was still with his father and all his father had was his, he still had the attitude of a servant. He worked hard all day every day, never displeasing his father but always doing even more than what was required. The result of both of the sons’ attitudes is that they didn’t enjoy their father. When the prodigal returned, that father was so happy that he threw a party for him. The older brother was jealous and angry that he never got a party, even though he never disappointed his father but always worked hard to keep his father’s pleasure in him solid.

I left Kathy’s message realizing that, as Tony Compolo once wrote, the kingdom of God IS a party! We so often believe that the primary glue to our relationship with our Heavenly Father is obedience or towing the line or never upsetting him or conforming to his will. It isn’t. The glue is God’s simple joy in loving us. He enjoys us. He loves proximity to us over obedience to him. I’ve always suspected that partying is his preferred evidence of God’s presence in our lives. That is the ethos of God’s love for us.

So, in light of that, I’m going to go and put on The Tragically Hip really loud, slap a fatted calf onto the grill, crack open a beer, and enjoy my Father and glorify him forever!

The fine art photograph is the creation of my friend Jorgen Klausen, and is from his Mexico series. I have no idea what that rooster is doing with all those parrots and exotic birds, but he seems to be enjoying himself. Party bird!

Previous Post

April 16, 2007

Jaunt With Jesus #3

Next Post

April 16, 2007 The Virginia Tech Massacre and A Canadian Blogger

Browse Our Archives

Select a Category art cartoons cartoons 2 freebie music one minute message podcast Sophia teaching technology thought

Select a Month February 2014 January 2014 December 2013 November 2013 October 2013 September 2013 August 2013 July 2013 June 2013 May 2013 April 2013 March 2013 February 2013 January 2013 December 2012 November 2012 October 2012 September 2012 August 2012 July 2012 June 2012 May 2012 April 2012 March 2012 February 2012 January 2012 December 2011 November 2011 October 2011 September 2011 August 2011 July 2011 June 2011 May 2011 April 2011 March 2011 February 2011 January 2011 December 2010 November 2010 October 2010 September 2010 August 2010 July 2010 June 2010 May 2010 April 2010 March 2010 February 2010 January 2010 December 2009 November 2009 October 2009 September 2009 August 2009 July 2009 June 2009 May 2009 April 2009 March 2009 February 2009 January 2009 December 2008 November 2008 October 2008 September 2008 August 2008 July 2008 June 2008 May 2008 April 2008 March 2008 February 2008 January 2008 December 2007 November 2007 October 2007 September 2007 August 2007 July 2007 June 2007 May 2007 April 2007 March 2007 February 2007 January 2007 December 2006 November 2006 October 2006 September 2006 August 2006 July 2006 June 2006 May 2006 March 2006 February 2006

TAKE THE

Religious Wisdom Quiz

Who was the only female judge of Israel?

Select your answer to see how you score.

Ruth Deborah Esther Hannah