"And he arose and came to his father. But when he was still a great way off, his father saw him and had compassion, and ran and fell on his neck and kissed him." (Luke 15:20)
Some would shallowly say, "this is grace," or "undeserved love." Don't tell his father that.
In 1985 I bought a new car; the dealership gave me a cassette tape as a complimentary gift. We were living in the North Hills of Pittsburgh at the time, and not long after we had purchased the car, I was headed to a conference with Brother Charles Simpson in Northwest Ohio. After playing some Bible tapes for a while, I decided to play the gift tape. The song I am sending separately was on that tape. As I listened to the song, I began to think of the "prodigal"------------- then of myself, how some of that song reminded me of me, "someone like you will always choose the long way home," then how Father's love to me is so much of what the song describes. There in that new car, alone on the highway, I began to weep uncontrollably.
Our text is from one of the most familiar passages in Holy Writ. It was a favorite of Miss Eckmann, one of my elementary homeroom and English teachers, you know, in the days in America when they were doing such politically incorrect things as actually starting every school day with a passage from the Bible and the Prayer of Jesus. It is one of the most beautiful expressions of unwarranted, unconditional love and acceptance ever written. Now lest you think I am saying that sin has no consequences, we must remember that the prodigal, "spent all he had"; it was all gone. When he came back to his father and the father's provision, he had nothing; he was indeed, "like one of your hired servants." But his father took him back, cared for him, provided for him. Have you ever wondered what happened to him after his father died? The "prodigal who stayed home," as Don Basham once referred to the older brother, had all of the father's estate. The prodigal lost it all. Sin has consequences and scars.
But nonetheless, there was the son's father, longingly looking down that lonesome road, day after day, week after week; who really knows how long? Then one day, there in the distance was a haggard figure of a lost child, probably looking like a vagrant, the consequences of years of rebellion, self-will and greed. This pathetic looking person had a speech prepared for his father, a sort of "I'm sorry for what I have done; please take me back; please give me another chance." His father, however, would hear none of it. His love for his wayward son, overwhelming him with pure joy, burst forth in tears of------------------ "Come In From the Rain"!
Father, in Jesus' Name, there is nothing on earth, yea, the Universe which can express thankfulness to You for such a Heart, such love, such welcoming. How many times You have said to me, "Come in from the rain."
*****************
* Be sure to visit us on Facebook
* Visas for China and NK both sent, awaiting acceptance
* Prayer times covered: 5:00-09:00, 11:00, 21:00 (9pm), 23:00 (11pm)
* Good up-to-date articles at: www.jerusalemberlinwashington.blogspot.com
Some would shallowly say, "this is grace," or "undeserved love." Don't tell his father that.
In 1985 I bought a new car; the dealership gave me a cassette tape as a complimentary gift. We were living in the North Hills of Pittsburgh at the time, and not long after we had purchased the car, I was headed to a conference with Brother Charles Simpson in Northwest Ohio. After playing some Bible tapes for a while, I decided to play the gift tape. The song I am sending separately was on that tape. As I listened to the song, I began to think of the "prodigal"------------- then of myself, how some of that song reminded me of me, "someone like you will always choose the long way home," then how Father's love to me is so much of what the song describes. There in that new car, alone on the highway, I began to weep uncontrollably.
Our text is from one of the most familiar passages in Holy Writ. It was a favorite of Miss Eckmann, one of my elementary homeroom and English teachers, you know, in the days in America when they were doing such politically incorrect things as actually starting every school day with a passage from the Bible and the Prayer of Jesus. It is one of the most beautiful expressions of unwarranted, unconditional love and acceptance ever written. Now lest you think I am saying that sin has no consequences, we must remember that the prodigal, "spent all he had"; it was all gone. When he came back to his father and the father's provision, he had nothing; he was indeed, "like one of your hired servants." But his father took him back, cared for him, provided for him. Have you ever wondered what happened to him after his father died? The "prodigal who stayed home," as Don Basham once referred to the older brother, had all of the father's estate. The prodigal lost it all. Sin has consequences and scars.
But nonetheless, there was the son's father, longingly looking down that lonesome road, day after day, week after week; who really knows how long? Then one day, there in the distance was a haggard figure of a lost child, probably looking like a vagrant, the consequences of years of rebellion, self-will and greed. This pathetic looking person had a speech prepared for his father, a sort of "I'm sorry for what I have done; please take me back; please give me another chance." His father, however, would hear none of it. His love for his wayward son, overwhelming him with pure joy, burst forth in tears of------------------ "Come In From the Rain"!
Father, in Jesus' Name, there is nothing on earth, yea, the Universe which can express thankfulness to You for such a Heart, such love, such welcoming. How many times You have said to me, "Come in from the rain."
*****************
* Be sure to visit us on Facebook
* Visas for China and NK both sent, awaiting acceptance
* Prayer times covered: 5:00-09:00, 11:00, 21:00 (9pm), 23:00 (11pm)
* Good up-to-date articles at: www.jerusalemberlinwashington.blogspot.com
When Peter, an 18 year old Norwegian, "heard the call to evangelize China, on that day he not only emptied his wallet into the collection plate, but included a small note with the words, 'and my life.'"
"Looking unto Jesus"
Hebrews 12:2
"Looking unto Jesus"
Hebrews 12:2
