For the Son of Man came to find and restore the lost. (Luke 19:10)
Remaining grounded is a concern in any professional pursuit, golf or otherwise. On the journey to success, there are unseen forces at play that can make a person forget who they are. And a lost identity leads to all kinds of grief and sorrow.
An ancient hymn from the second century tells the story of a prince who was sent to Egypt to find a pearl. An agreement was made with his parents and inscribed in his heart so that it would not be forgotten: “If you would go down into Egypt and bring back the one pearl, which is in the middle of the sea surrounded by the hissing serpent, then you will put on your glorious garment. And with your brother, you will be heir in our kingdom.”
While on his journey, the prince was alone. The people of that land perceived that he was not from their country. So they deceived him and made him eat their food and drink from their exotic cup. The prince forgot that he was the son of the King, and he served their kings. He also forgot about the pearl. The prince fell into a deep sleep.
The ancient hymn exposes our estrangement from our true identity. While journeying through this life, we get lost. When our quest becomes one of glory, pleasure, and power, we divorce ourselves from the reality of our sonship.
Without close proximity to our heavenly Father, his voice of love becomes faint, and our mission and identity are lost. Henri Nouwen observes: “The farther I run away from the place where God dwells, the less I am able to hear the voice that calls me the Beloved, and the less I hear that voice, the more entangled I become in the manipulations and power games of the world.”
There was another prince—Jesus. He never faltered while moving toward his destiny; the cross. As he journeyed through this life, he delighted in his identity as God’s beloved son and executed his mission perfectly. His separation from his Father was not a consequence of foolishness or deception but was motivated by love. Jesus chose separation from his Father so that all the lost sons of the world could be found.
In the ancient hymn, the prince’s father sends a letter to his son to awaken him from his slumber. The letter reads:
Remember that you are a son of kings,
consider your slavery.
Remember the pearl,
on account of which you were sent to Egypt.
Think of your glorious garment,
remember your splendid toga,
which you will put on and wear
when your name is called out from the book of the combatants. And with your brother, our viceroy,
With him, you will be in our kingdom.
Upon reading the letter, the prince awakens and comes to his senses. He makes the serpent sleep by speaking his father’s name over it. When the serpent is defeated, the prince claims the pearl. After stripping off his filthy clothes, he turns for home.
Upon arrival, the prince is dressed in a glorious garment prepared by his father’s stewards. He then ascends to worship the brightness of his father, the great king, offering the pearl as a gift. He finally takes his rightful place as the son of the king.
Jesus came to reclaim us—as sons of God the Father. The kingdom is our pearl of great price. We must surrender all we have to attain it by God’s grace. And upon returning to our eternal home, we will take our place as God’s beloved sons of the Most High.
Prayer: Jesus, awaken us from the world’s evil enchantments!