"To illustrate
the point further, Jesus told them this story: 'A man had two sons. The younger son told his father, 'I want
my share of your estate now before you die.' So his father agreed to divide his
wealth between his sons."A few days later this younger son packed all his belongings and moved to a distant land, and there he wasted all his money in wild living. About the time his money ran out, a great famine swept over the land, and he began to starve. He persuaded a local farmer to hire him, and the man sent him into his fields to feed the pigs. The young man became so hungry that even the pods he was feeding the pigs looked good to him. But no one gave him anything.
"When he finally came to his senses, he said to himself, 'At home even the hired servants have food enough to spare, and here I am dying of hunger! I will go home to my father and say, 'Father, I have sinned against both heaven and you, and I am no longer worthy of being called your son. Please take me on as a hired servant.'"
"So he returned home to his father. And while he was still a long way off, his father saw him coming. Filled with love and compassion, he ran to his son, embraced him, and kissed him. His son said to him, 'Father, I have sinned against both heaven and you, and I am no longer worthy of being called your son.'
"But his father said to the servants, 'Quick! Bring the finest robe in the house and put it on him. Get a ring for his finger and sandals for his feet. And kill the calf we have been fattening. We must celebrate with a feast, for this son of mine was dead and has now returned to life. He was lost, but now he is found.’ So the party began.
"Meanwhile, the older son was in the fields working. When he returned home, he heard music and dancing in the house, and he asked one of the servants what was going on. 'Your brother is back,' he was told, 'and your father has killed the fattened calf. We are celebrating because of his safe return.'
"The older brother was angry and wouldn’t go in. His father came out and begged him, but he replied, 'All these years I’ve slaved for you and never once refused to do a single thing you told me to. And in all that time you never gave me even one young goat for a feast with my friends. Yet when this son of yours comes back after squandering your money on prostitutes, you celebrate by killing the fattened calf!'
"His father said to him, 'Look, dear son, you have always stayed by me, and everything I have is yours. We had to celebrate this happy day. For your brother was dead and has come back to life! He was lost, but now he is found!'"
~ Luke 15:11-32 New Living Translation (NLT)
This
passage has been described as one of the greatest literary works ever written.
And it is. It is a beautiful picture of God’s love toward us. Even though the
father’s son essentially told him “I wish you were dead, old man. Give me my
inheritance now so I can get out of this dump.” The father never stopped loving
his son. And when his son returned, he ran to meet him. He didn’t stay home,
gloating over his son as he begged him to take him back. He didn’t say, “I told
you so!” He ran to his son and
embraced him.
God is the same way. He doesn’t condemn us; He loves us. He died for us!
God is the same way. He doesn’t condemn us; He loves us. He died for us!
"You must have the same attitude that Christ Jesus had.
Though he was God,
he did not think of equality with God
as something to cling to.
Instead, he gave up his divine privileges;
he took the humble position of a slave
and was born as a human being.
When he appeared in human form,
he humbled himself in obedience to God
and died a criminal’s death on a cross."
Though he was God,
he did not think of equality with God
as something to cling to.
Instead, he gave up his divine privileges;
he took the humble position of a slave
and was born as a human being.
When he appeared in human form,
he humbled himself in obedience to God
and died a criminal’s death on a cross."
he did not think of equality with God
as something to cling to.
Instead, he gave up his divine privileges;
he took the humble position of a slave
and was born as a human being.
When he appeared in human form,
he humbled himself in obedience to God
and died a criminal’s death on a cross."
~ Philippians 2:5-8 New Living Translation (NLT)
"So now there is no condemnation for those who belong to Christ Jesus. And because you belong to him, the power of the
life-giving Spirit has freed you from the power of sin that leads to death. The law of Moses was unable to save us
because of the weakness of our sinful nature. So God did what the law could not
do. He sent his own Son in a body like the bodies we sinners have. And in that
body God declared an end to sin’s control over us by giving his Son as a
sacrifice for our sins. He did this so
that the just requirement of the law would be fully satisfied for us, who no
longer follow our sinful nature but instead follow the Spirit."
~ Romans 8:1-5 New Living Translation (NLT)
~ Romans 8:1-5 New Living Translation (NLT)
But like the father in the story, He doesn’t come after us when we rebel and turn our backs on Him. As Isaiah 30:18 says , “... the Lord must wait for you to come to him so he can show you his love and compassion. For the Lord is a faithful God. Blessed are those who wait for his help.” (NLT)
We are free to make our own choices, good or bad. But He is always there, waiting for us to return to Him. And in our brokenness, He finds us. He runs to us while we are still far off and embraces us.
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