My Father's Tender Love
Luke 15:20 (TPT)
So, the young son set off for home. From a long distance away, his father saw him coming, dressed as a beggar, and great compassion swelled up in his heart for his son who was returning home. The father raced out to meet him, swept him up in his arms, hugged him dearly, and kissed him over and over with tender love.
We started this week by looking at the innate desire within all of us to know we are loved by God, and then yesterday spent time reflecting on the need to experience God's love daily even if we cannot fully understand it.
One story that highlights the nature of God’s love is the Parable of the Prodigal Son. This story tells of a Father with two sons, one of whom left his home and squandered the inheritance from his father. The son decided to return home, expecting to be treated differently, expecting anger, expecting to no longer be called a son. However, when he returned, his father ‘raced out to meet him, swept him up in his arms, hugged him dearly, and kissed him over and over with tender love’.
This story pictures Father God's love for you and me. Imagine right now the Father sweeping you up in his arms, hugging you, lavishing his tender love on you. Like the son, we may have done wrong, we may be expecting the worst, but Father God always receives us with love and joy. We are Father God's precious belonging - he constantly awaits our return. His love chases and pursues us always.
God demonstrated his fatherly love, by sending his only Son to die for you and me. Jesus endured the most awful and shameful death, with no guarantee that we would ever love him back. Jesus died a sinner’s death that we may live free from the power of death. No matter how hard I try I cannot begin to fathom the extent of Jesus sacrifice for me, but perhaps this is the beauty and mystery of God's love? Perhaps God wants us to constantly be reflecting and puzzling and wondering in awe over this marvellous love.
Prayer - Lord, I pray for personal revelation that we are your precious children, and thank you that, if we have wandered off, you await our return, rejoicing when we come to you.