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, NLT)
This morning, my girls and I studied the parable of the prodigal son. We were all brought to tears (so much so that my eight year old couldn't even speak) when we read verse twenty in Luke chapter fifteen,
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.
Is there anything more filled with power than that? Just meditate on that for a while, meditate on it until it becomes part of who you are. Write it down on a card and read it throughout the day over the next coming weeks and months or however long it takes for it to become part of your very core.
First, the son came to himself, (Luke 15:17) then he got up, and went to his father.
The father's reaction:
- filled with compassion
- ran to him
- threw his arms around him
- kissed him
The bible says the father ran to him. The father didn't wait until the son walked up to the porch. The father was so excited to see his son, he couldn't wait and so he ran!
That's true unfailing love…
That's the love our Father has for us!
No matter who tells us what (even if we are the ones telling ourself), no matter where we've been or what we've done….God, our Father always wants us!
That's the love our Father has for us!
Father, thank You for this parable. Thank You for being filled with compassion for us. Thank You that when we "come to ourselves", You are always approachable and willing and desire to wrap Your arms around us even when we've rolled around in pig stuff! I pray for every reader right now, as well as myself, that from Your glorious, unlimited resources, we become empowered with inner strength through Your Spirit! We are rooted and grounded in Your great love! I declare we have the power to understand and we will all come to know how wide, long, high, and deep Your love is! You are able, through Your mighty power at work within us, to accomplish infinitely more than we might ask or think! All glory, honor, and power to You Father, in the name of Jesus, Amen!
A little side note: Please don't ever ask me to study this verse with you face to face because it makes me bawl every time...yep, every time! And I must have been teaching it with much emotion because my ten year old sincerely said, "Wow...you should be teaching this in a stadium right now."
She always thinks in terms of huge, just like her father, earthly and Heavenly!
