About two weeks ago I had a dream that broke my heart. It devastated me so much that I cried real tears as the dream occurred in my sleep. As I felt the wet realization of my inner thoughts, I knew that I had to do something that I hadn’t done in awhile- I had to reach out to my eldest sister.
If you have followed my blog from the beginning, then you know that she and I had a big falling out two years ago… and we have never properly mended from that. Yes, we extend greetings to one another here and there, but our relationship is not what it used to be and, to be very honest, it may never be again. Apologies were exchanged and forgiveness granted, but that does not change the fact that we are two different people who realized that it is okay for us to be distant and separate. Love will always be present, but a sisterly friendship is an option that we have opted out of. Such is life sometimes.
For the second time this year I had a dream that led me to my sister. This time when I had the dream I emailed my sister and then talked to my mother. The conversation with my mother was jarring… to say the least.
She can’t walk.
Mommy
I paused because I knew that I had to be hearing things; I asked my mom to repeat herself.
She fell a few months ago and the doctor did not treat her properly so she can’t walk without assistance. I told you about her fall.
Mommy
Clearly, I missed that announcement. My mom proceeded to tell me that my sister was angry and held some bitterness in heart as a result of the fall. As my mother continued to talk, my thoughts trailed off and I went to my Father in my heart. I didn’t know what to do so I got up from the table, went to my room, and fell on my knees in prayer. I cried out to my Abba, but not for the reason that you may think. You see, my sister has Sickle Cell Disease and her life has been painful since the day she was born. The doctors said that she would only live to be 16 but 33 years later, I know that God had other plans. So I did not cry because of her physical pain, though her pain is great, my tears were for her soul. As cold as this may sound, death is inevitable and is the only guarantee that we face when we are born. Death will meet us one day. I cried because I am terrified that death will meet my sister and she will not have accepted the tender love of our Father. That fear was the cause of my tears that morning. That thought sent me to my knees… and then to my phone to rally the prayer warriors.
After speaking with my church’s Intercessory Prayer Ministry, I realized that it was time to go to battle for my sister. She knows God on a surface level but not intimately. Not saying that to fault her because truth be told, I got baptized when I was 8 years old but I didn’t get to intimately know God until last year. Religion is not relationship. Relationship is relationship and that is what God is seeking.
This past Wednesday some of my family and church members stood in arms with me as we spiritually fought for my sister (and my niece). We prayed and went to God on their behalf… and that’s when this message was birthed.
YES, all of that backstory was needed for these next few lines of the message.
Click here to listen to this song and then click here to read today’s scripture lesson (Luke 15:11-32).
First, I am like in LOVE with Housefires and their music. Every song is on point and speaks to different aspects of my current situation… whatever that current situation may be. Second, this song made me think about this scripture… which made me think about you. (Yes, YOU!)
Beloved, when I prayed Heaven down on Wednesday on behalf of my sister, all I could think was “we can all come Home.” Last week I said that as Christians on earth we are all “homeless,” waiting to be reunited with our Father in our Heavenly Home. When I think of my sister, all I know is that she is God’s prodigal daughter. She is… and so are you.
We all stray from God.
The children of Israel did.
David did.
Peter did.
I did.
We all have.
The lesson of the story is not how far the prodigal son strayed away, what he did while he was gone, or even how long he was away. The lesson is the fact that his father ran to him with open arms to welcome him home when he returned.
Sweet friend, that is what our Father is waiting to do with you and me. God is waiting for us to leave behind what we thought we knew or thought we needed and run home into His waiting arms. He is calling us to trust that what is before us (Him and His plans for our lives) is greater than whatever is behind us. God is ever-so-clearly calling us to COME HOME. We are His children and our Father is calling us back to Him.
Even today my heart thinks about my sister. I know that her life hasn’t been easy and that there have been innumerous hurts along the way, but when I close the eyes of my heart, I can see her running- without the aid of anything or anyone else- into the loving arms of our Father. On this side she is my eldest sister, the sister who taught me Patois (Patwah) and bathed me as a child. On that side, she- like me and you- is the prodigal daughter.
Come back Home.
God (Luke 15: 20b and 32)
Be blessed.
God Happened To ME Ministries, LLC 