Happy Friday!

Luke 15:20 “His father saw him and was filled with compassion. He ran, threw his arms around his neck and kissed him.”

I have always loved this story of The Prodigal Son. This is the story of the father and two sons where the youngest asked for his inheritance early, squanders it and crawls home with his tail between his legs. The father not only forgives him, but throws a party in grand style and seats his sinful son in a place of honor for all to see.

I have thought about this story from several different points of view over the years, but tonight I would like to look at this story from a different angle. Have you ever considered how God views us? God loves us so very much that he takes us back into His loving arms no matter how covered in sin we are. God promises that as long as we repent and return to Him we are forgiven and our sin is erased. We are the beneficiaries of His forgiveness and His mercy. God created the sky, the earth, mountains, the sea, the birds of the air and fish of the sea, but He chose us with whom to have a relationship. Creation, for all of its wonder and magnificence, is only a spectator to the joy that God heaps on us, wraps us in and fills our very souls. God chose us with which to have His most intimate relationship. God remains with us in our joys, our gladness, our despair, our desperation and rejoices when we bring ourselves to our knees and ask forgiveness.

In this passage of scripture the son is walking to the house of the father, but the father is so overjoyed by his son’s return, he runs down the road to greet his son and welcomes him back into the family and into his house. When we have walked away from God the distance is not very far to return to him. He loves us so very much and misses us, He grieves when we are apart from Him and has overwhelming sadness when one of His children has left the house. The distance is about 14 inches or so. It is the distance from your knees to the floor. God will be there before your knees hit solid ground welcoming you, wrapping His loving arms around you seating you in a place of honor and shouting “Glory, My child who was lost is now come home.”

Take joy in the journey. Love you all, Bruce, Gaylene, Geni and Travis.

Gcapplenotes@aol.com

I am not moved by by what I see. I am not moved by what I feel. I am moved only by what I believe and I believe God.

PS Special prayer request from our friends Carme and Dave Russell. Dave and his brother and sisters are looking for a full Alzheimer’s care facility for his mother. It is so very hard when your parents forget who you are. The coolest thing is that Jane (Dave’s mother) still has a wonderful relationship with God. Carme, in trying to help Dave with this said, “Dave, would you rather your Mom remember you or remember her relationship with Jesus?” Carme does tend to get to the heart of the matter. Thank you for your prayers. gc