Monday 19 May 2014

God Keeps On Loving Us At Just Those Times We Think He Should Have Given Up On Us.!

God keeps on loving us at just those times we think he should have given up on us. Like the father in Jesus’ story – the father kept on waiting and watching out for his son to return. He kept on loving him in spite of the hurt that he had caused his father. 

And when the son returned expecting to be treated at best as a servant, the son was amazed as his father tucked his robes under his arm and without shame ran down the road to greet his son and welcome him with open arms. He replaced his son’s dirty clothes that smelt like a pigsty with new clothes and shoes. He gave him a ring to indicate his restoration to the family as a son. The father was so overjoyed at his son’s return that he ordered that a lavish feast be held in his honor.

Now that’s love for you. The father still loved his son even though he didn't deserve that kind of a welcome. The father had never given up on his son, his love had never faltered as he waited looking down the road for just a glimpse of his son. The father didn't even put conditions on his son’s restoration to the family. If you do this or that then you can come home. No, he loved him and welcomed him unconditionally. He was prepared to take the chance. You might say he was prepared to take the gamble and trusted his wayward son even though the son hadn't done anything to prove his genuineness. The father was prepared to take this chance because he loved his son and forgave him.

Then there is the other older son who grizzled that his younger brother had been welcomed back with such enthusiasm. Look how the father loved him! He could do nothing but run down his younger brother down, in fact, he doesn't even regard him as a brother but "that son of yours". His brother hasn't done anything to deserve his father’s love and this magnificent feast. In fact, he deserves to be tossed out for the way he treated his father.!