“And when he came to himself, he said, How many hired servants of my father’s have bread enough and to spare, and I perish with hunger! I will arise and go to my father, and will say unto him, Father, I have sinned against heaven and before thee. And am no more worthy to be called thy son: make me as one of thy hired servants. And he arose, and came to his father. But when he was yet a great way off, his father saw him, and had compassion, and ran, and fell on his neck, and kissed him” (Luke 15:17-20).
The story of the prodigal son is one of my favorites. I see the heartbreak of a father who wept as his son leaves home. Day after day he looks down the road, hoping he will come back home. Time passes, but, the father doesn’t stop his vigil. He doesn’t lose hope. Then one day, as the father is looking way down the road he saw the shadow of one he had longed to see. He ran, and the closer he came the more familiar the figure became. It was his son! It didn’t matter he smelled like pigs and was dirty and sweaty. He hugged and kissed him, so excited his son had come home.
Maybe you have strayed from the Father. You find yourself in the proverbial “pig pen” of life. You realize how wrong you have been. By repenting, you are taking that first step toward the Father. He will run to you with open arms, glad you have come back home.
Sue Winchester
Missouri
PRAY TOGETHER: Pray for Tim and Lydia Awtrey as they work with city officials to provide a children’s Christmas program today for “at risk” families in Svishtov, Bulgaria.
