Show Notes
After a few days, the younger son collected all his belongings and set off to a distant country where he squandered his inheritance on a life of dissipation. When he had freely spent everything, a severe famine struck that country, and he found himself in dire need. So, he hired himself out to one of the local citizens who sent him to his farm to tend the swine. And he longed to eat his fill of the pods on which the swine fed, but nobody gave him any. (Luke 15:13-16)
In Jesus’ time and tradition, requesting for inheritance when one’s father was alive was unheard of. And in this younger son’s case, he was not only requesting it, but was demanding for his share. That was insane! And he went a step further to assume that he had the right to dispose of it as he wished. He was not supposed to do this when his father was still alive, because his father still had the right to live off his distributed assets as long as he lived. This shows how disrespectful and how ungrateful he was to his father, and how untamed his heart was, taking everyone and everything for granted. All those things that were supposed to be gifts became entitlements in the younger son's eyes.
When we perceive those gifts as entitlements, we automatically see ourselves as owners instead of stewards. That makes a huge difference in how we view and use those gifts freely given to us.
In the younger son’s case, he squandered his entire inheritance on a life of dissipation. His inheritance was not small at all. He was unbelievably lavish, and because he was away from his father, he was subjected to more temptations from the Devil. Pleasures were the Devil’s traps for him and he wasted every penny he had received.
In reality, we also see the opposite extreme. We are oftentimes too fearful of losing our possessions. So we invest our whole lives in protecting them, to the point that we become slaves to our properties. People with this “owner” mindset tries their best to guard their possessions, and use them mainly for their own needs and interests. Fearing that they do not have enough for themselves, sharing will be limited, and only after their current needs are fulfilled and all their future needs are covered.
On the contrary, God wants us to be good stewards of the gifts freely given to us. He wants us to share as much as we can, so that His love can be channeled through us to those in need. Our God cannot be outdone in generosity. The more we share and give, the more He will bless us with His providence!
God is able to make every grace abundant for you, so that in all things, always having all you need, you may have an abundance for every good work. (2 Corinthians 9:8)
If we remain in the Father’s House, we will have an abundance for ourselves and others; if we are on our own in our distant country, we are left wanting.
REFLECTION
Do you see yourself as the owner or a steward of all that you have and possess, both materially and spiritually?
Are you living in fear of not having enough for your future? Would you like to be set free from all those worries?
Do you find yourself enslaved to material possessions? Do you find yourself still in your distant country, away from the Father’s abundant graces?
TODAY’S PRAYER
Dear Heavenly Father, sometimes I feel that I am insecure and feel wanting. I believe that is because I am still in my distant country, far away from You, the source of all goodness and graces. I long to be free from all the bondages of material attachments. I long for the freedom to find and become my true self, and to return to You. But I lack the courage and I am fearful. Please help me to overcome this internal struggle so that I can boldly respond to Your call to come back to You. I know I can never find home in my distant country and my heart is restless until I rest in You. Father, bring me home!
I ask this in the name of Jesus. Amen!
Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen.
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What is Farmer of Hearts - How Not to Miss God’s Voice?
Do you long to discern God’s will more clearly amid the busyness of daily life?
This Lent, Fountain of Love and Life invites you to rediscover the art of listening in quiet and stillness.
How to Listen?
In this Lenten Retreat, we will explore practical ways to listen to God’s voice in our daily lives so that we do not miss His personal messages meant for our growth and welfare. Drawing wisdom and inspiration from the Scriptures—God’s very words to us—we will reflect on how He continues to speak into our hearts.
Mentality and Lifestyle Adjustments
Throughout the retreat, we will also examine the inner dispositions that help us receive His Word more openly, and learn how to strengthen our “spiritual muscles” so we become more attuned to His Voice.
Not to Miss God’s Voice
Through these Lenten spiritual exercises and our shared journey, our ultimate goal is to deepen our ability to discern God’s will by staying attentive to His unique messages for each of us, as we navigate our lives and seek to understand the mission He entrusts to us.
For as the rain and the snow come down from heaven, and do not return there until they have watered the earth, making it bring forth and sprout, giving seed to the sower and bread to the eater, so shall my word be that goes out from my mouth; it shall not return to me empty, but it shall accomplish that which I purpose, and succeed in the thing for which I sent it. (Is 55:10-11)
We sincerely invite you, during the 40 days of Lent, to spend 10 minutes each day experiencing God’s presence in a new way.
Join NOW* – To receive daily reflections (Monday to Saturday) from the brand new FLL Lenten online retreat “Farmer of Hearts: How Not to Miss God’s Voice” starting from Ash Wednesday (February 18).
Written content will be available in traditional and simplified Chinese and English. Audio guides will be available in Cantonese, Mandarin and English.
Let’s begin our Lenten Spiritual Journey together, starting on Ash Wednesday, February 18!
*If you had received our Advent 2025 online retreat content through email, you do not have to register again.
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