The parable of the Prodigal Son in Luke chapter 15, is so touching! The Father's heart towards the long-lost, wayward son is such a beautiful picture of our Eternal Father! If you haven’t read it recently, here is a synopsis of it. After taking the inheritance given to him by his father, the younger son went to a distant country and squandered all he had on partying and prostitution. After a severe famine in that land, things became so bad that he didn't even have money to eat. The dire situation the prodigal son found himself in was the catalyst that caused him to come to his senses and to realize his sin. 

With a repentant heart, he decided to go back to his father who was not only waiting for him but saw him a long way off. The father ran to meet him, threw his arms around him and kissed him. After restoring all the dignity and rights of a son in perfect standing with his father, he proceeded to throw an extravagant party for him? 

The party thrown for the younger prodigal son immediately became a thorn in the older brother's side and he became outraged and jealous. He was raised under the law of Moses and had a very condemning heart towards his brother who had squandered his father’s wealth on partying and prostitutes. 

The father in this story represents God, our Father, and he came to plead with the older brother. Look at the Father's response to the older, self-righteous son.

Luke 15:32 But we had to celebrate and be glad because this brother of yours was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found. ’”

Like this story, God, our Father, is so loving towards us that even when we have lived in vile sin and miserable failure, he sees us as righteous because of the debt he already paid on our behalf! The word of God declares that Jesus was slain before the foundations of the world. Revelation 13:8  Because of the forgiving heart of the prodigal son’s father, the homecoming of the boy gave no opportunity to condemnation and shame! When we returned to God after a hiatus of sin and failure, no judgment towards us is found in God – only the heart of deep and tender love and forgiveness! The hymn writer penned these most tender, heartwarming words, “Oh precious is the flow that makes me white as snow. No other fount I know, nothing but the blood of Jesus.”

The heart of our loving Father is always fond of and pursuing the hurting, lost and confused sheep! Look at these precious words of Jesus. 

Luke 15:7 I tell you that in the same way there will be more rejoicing in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety- nine righteous persons who do not need to repent.

God wants us to treat each other with the same forgiveness, mercy and grace that he has given to us. Because of our understanding of how much we are forgiven, when anyone we know repents and turns to Christ, let us forgive wholeheartedly and throw a party for this precious one for whom Christ died! Let's rejoice and believe God for the best in their life and be a part of God's solution for them! If there is a person who doesn’t want to join in on the festivities for the one who is returned to faith in God, just do what the Father did; tell them…

WE HAVE TO CELEBRATE!

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