Luke 15:12 – “The younger of them said to his father, ‘Father, give me the share of the estate that will belong to me.’ So he divided his assets between them.”

Luke 15:31 – “Then the father said to him, ‘Son, you are always with me, and everything that belongs to me is yours.”

As I read, prayed, and contemplated the Word of God today, the reality of “awareness” filled my consciousness.   Awareness?  The two brothers in Luke 15 provided the platform to tie the ends together and see a liberating and yet alarming reality.

Both were granted their share of the inheritance.  One knew what he had and wasted it. The other did not comprehend his inheritance, and it benefited him nothing. He lived in lack, sitting on a stack of money.  Not to make this about money, he failed to enjoy the benefits of the kingdom and lived as a hired hand, not an owner.  Verses 12 and 31 make it clear.  It was his, but he could not see that reality. He was waiting for a handful when he lived in a houseful.

We are often the Prodigal and waste in extravagance God’s goodness.  We become our focus.  Luke 15:12 addresses that lifestyle and mindset.  At other times, we are the elder brother and papers in the palace. God has given us great and precious promises, but they are someday promises to us, not present realities.

Luke 12:32 is germane. ” Do not be afraid, O little flock; for your Father is pleased to give you the kingdom.”    Luke 12:34 is the key to understanding. Our heart’s longing reveals what our treasure is.  This is not about material things but eternal things.  If we have treasure in heaven. If we focus on the kingdom, we will be enabled to enjoy the bounty of the earth, let us.

Here’s a caution that is almost an aside. Luke 13:6-9 informs us that unfruitfulness has a time limit.  Then, verses 23-24 let us know that doing religious stuff does not get us in the door to God! Our hearts’ longing defines us by what we do and how we think.  Be neither the Prodigal nor the son in the house who never possessed his possessions. We do that with Gifts of the Spirit as well as the material.

Lord, help us to embrace Your promise so we can be harvesters in Your kingdom.