Thursday, April 12

THURSDAY, APRIL 12, 2018

"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 15:20b)


Luke 15's three parables -- the Lost Sheep, the Lost Coin, and the Prodigal (Lost) Son -- point to God's power and passion to redeem what has been lost: us. As this verse above indicates, God actively seeks after us and rejoices in our rescue. To think that God would delight in seeking after us, while we loathed Him in our hearts, defies our human understanding. It highlights the power of His effective grace.

In both the Lost Sheep and the Prodigal Son, we understand that the lost ones have become that way through their willful ignorance or disobedience. The lost sheep wanders off from the flock. Whether the sheep does so out of spite for the Shepherd is immaterial; the sheep has departed from the Shepherd's protective care.

The Prodigal Son, on the other hand, spitefully departs from his father, but not before extracting his inheritance early. This action suggests that the Prodigal Son had so lowly considered his father as to have wished him dead. He then flees to another country and squanders everything in wild living. He recognizes that he has reached "rock bottom" while feeding himself from pig slop. He then humbles himself, prepares to seek his father's forgiveness, and heads for home.

God's relentless pursuit of lost people should encourage us in loving Him more deeply and in joining Him in loving others. These stories provide hope that no one lies beyond the clarion call of grace. Whom would you like to trust God to rescue? How could you join with Him in demonstrating Christ's love?


Lord God, thank You that You have relentlessly pursued us and given us new birth through Your grace. Help us to understand the depth of Your love and compassion and give us courage to love others similarly. We love You and honor You today. In Jesus's Name, amen.


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