wow...

I read an old story this morning. We usually call it "the prodigal son". Its pretty simple, and yet loaded with meaning. The son asks for his inheritance early, the father gives it to him, the son blows it all living the party life, and finally finds himself flat broke, and living like a bum. Pretty sad story so far. Of course, some people wouldn't call it sad. They would use words like pathetic. They would say the son was a loser, and only reaping what he had sown. He had gotten what he deserved. That would be sort of the "conservative" point of view you might hear if you listen much to talk radio. There is some truth in that perspective. Not much mercy, though. The boy got what he deserved. Most of us don't usually want to get what we deserve. We do, however, like to point it out when others do. Annnnnnyway... the son really had made a mess of his life. And then the story starts to take an amazing turn.

"Then he came to his senses and ... got up and went to his father. While he was still far away, his father saw him and was filled with compassion. He ran to his son, threw his arms around him, and kissed him affectionately."

While he was still far away, his father saw him... Its as though the Father was always watching the horizon, hoping to see His son's form off in the distance. When we are struggling with sin, He is always watching. But He is not looking for the perfect opportunity to swing the hammer of heaven and wipe us out. He is watching to see when our heart will turn back to Him.

The Father was "filled with compassion". He could easily have judged his son, and would have been right in his judgment...but He didn't. He doesn't. No matter how foolishly we have wasted our inheritance, His heart is always ready to show compassion if we return to Him.

He ran to his son... He didn't just wait for the son to finally make his way to Him. When he saw His son returning, He ran to him.

He embraced him and "kissed him affectionately". The son's foolishness had done nothing to diminish the passions of his Father's heart. That is amazing. Its not the way our human relationships typically work. Our love is usually much more conditional. "Do unto others as they have done unto you" is usually the way things happen. God's love for us is entirely different. It is the kind of love that sent Jesus to earth, to die on a cross. Its the kind of love that is always ready to take us back when we blow it. All we have to do is "come to our senses" and return to our Father. When we come to Him with a repentant heart, He is always ready to embrace us, and welcome us back to the safety and comfort of His house.

Amazing love.