So how do you live in the mean time?

These stories of lost and found are some of my favorite in all of scripture; however, real life never seems as clean as the story. My own prodigal is my sixteen year old daughter, caught in the middle of a long ago but never ending divorce, and off in the far land for several years now. As I was working on what to say on the Luke 15 text, my prodigal daughter gave birth to a son on Tuesday. He was early, 2 pounds, 2 ounces and in the incubator in the NICU. I find myself as the father in the story, standing there with arms open with the prodigal coming close and then retreating, coming close and retreating. I find myself as the older brother in the story way too often, angry at both the coming close and the retreating. I also find myself in the middle of old issues, wanting to be the open armed father in a room filled with unresolved anger, snide comments and power posturing. How do you live in the mean time? Mean having the double meaning of “in between” and “cruel.” I long to be father to my daughter and her boyfriend and grandfather to her son, and I am drawn back into the older brother on occasion. I think for me, the story calls me to be who I am called to be, the open armed father, and not letting old issues draw me into the meanness of the mean time. Grace, it is what I receive from a loving God who compels me to show grace to the prodigal on the horizon who may never fully come home and to be gracious in the midst of the slings and arrows. So as I attempt to go through the mean time with grace received and grace given, I ask you to join with me in prayer for my new grandson Brian that as he enters this life so small and so fragile, that the hand of God would be upon him and upon all the doctors and nurses in the NICU to guide him gently on the path to strength and wholeness. I would ask for prayers for my prodigal daughter, Liz, that she would find the strength to walk the path God has set before her, and to freely let God be a part of that journey. May she find the strength to veer occasionally onto the old home farm to be greeted with those open arms. May the Lord continue to walk with the father, Josh, who is showing a great deal of grace by staying close and attentive and an active loving father. So I ask your prayers for this mean time, that over time it become less mean and may the loving grace of God especially surround this new forming family with a miraculous but struggling young son. Amen.

Please post any prayers, words of wisdom, or comments in the comment section below.