So he got up and went to his father. But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and was filled with compassion for him; he ran to his son, threw his arms around him and kissed him. Luke 15:20 NIV
One of the finest word pictures in the Bible: God running to His children! Can you say Godspeed?
Jesus told this parable, not so much about a boy, foolish in his youth who squanders away all his wealth and then comes cowering back to an expectant father. Even though that is what occurs in the story, this story is about you and me.
Jesus is describing for us how God feels about His children. If you are a child of God, bought and paid for by the blood of Jesus, through your faith in Him and Him alone to save you, then God will always be ready to welcome you home! God will never give up on His children. God may discipline you, but you can rest assured He will never forsake you. You are His, and He will wait for you as His own.
Stop for a moment and picture this story as Jesus meant for you to see it. Imagine you are the prodigal child. You have wandered away from the comfort and protection of your Father God. You have wasted your life on wild living. It was fun at first, but then the new wore off and you were homesick. You realized what you had given up. What you wouldn’t give to go home, but how could you? You had traveled so far and your pride was at stake. People would say, “I told you so”. Your friends might even make fun of you. And what about your Father? How could He ever forgive you for what you have done? Plus, does He really want you to come home anyway? Would anyone?
Still, anything is better than where you are at now, so you head for home. Before you can even see the front porch…while your head was still hanging low…you hear a sound. It sounds like footsteps. Heavy footsteps. You look up, almost afraid to for fear of what you may see, and you the sight is something you have never seen before!
YOUR FATHER GOD IS RUNNING TO MEET YOU! God, the Creator of stars, is running to greet you, a sinner, and welcome you home. He isn’t coming with a frown or a smirk of anger on His face. He has His arms open wide! He has on a great big smile! He has a loving twinkle in His eye, the kind He always had when He was proud of something you did!
He reaches you and instead of shouting insults at you, He tells you how pleased He is to have you home. There are tears in His eyes! He lets out a shout of joy. He orders a party to be held in your honor! He tells the angels to get the band playing! Gabriel starts up the gas grill! GOD IS GLAD YOU HAVE COME HOME!
Maybe you need to go home today! God is waiting! He’s probably over half way towards you right now! All you have to do is turn around, and head for home!
I hope you’ll invite me to the party!
Luke 15:24a: For this my son was dead, and is alive again; he was lost and is found.
Ron is correct about the the child of God. When one who has been bought and paid for by grace through faith in the blood of Jesus, that one is most assuredly restored to fellowship with the Father when he/she repents. However, Luke 15 is a series of parables about things that were lost and been found. The prodigal was lost and repented unto salvation. This is a common error among Christians, but the Chapter, and specifically Luke 15:24a is quite specific about a lost sinner, who repents.
I agree Jason. Accepting grace unearned is hard.
Good thoughts Ron. Sometimes I've had trouble with that because I feel like I turn and God's standing there waiting…but then find that perhaps I haven't fully turned.
Tender thanks you looking for details. It helped me in my task