TODAY’S SCRIPTURE Luke 15:11-32
Nothing I say in this devotional will come close to touching some of my favorite words in the Word of God.
I will arise and go to my father, and I will say to him, “Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son. Treat me as one of your hired servants.” And he arose and came to his father. But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and felt compassion, and ran and embraced him and kissed him. And the son said to him, “Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son.” But the father said to his servants, “Bring quickly the best robe, and put it on him, and put a ring on his hand, and shoes on his feet. And bring the fattened calf and kill it, and let us eat and celebrate. For this my son was dead, and is alive again; he was lost, and is found.” And they began to celebrate. (Luke 15:18-24)
The son has been rehearsing his speech the entire way home, but it does not matter, for the father has seemingly rehearsed this scene in his mind, too: Before the son can ring the doorbell or even speak, the father recognizes his silhouette far off in the distance. He is deeply moved and moving quickly, now in a sprint towards his long lost child. He hugs him and kisses him. The son confesses his foolishness, but the father is already more focused more on the present than on the past. This calls for celebration; and this, my friends, is our Father.
Today, I will…remind myself of my Father’s great love for me and of His quick willingness to forgive my foolishness, and thank Him.