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\n\u201cBut the father said to his servants, \u2018Bring 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.\u2019 And they began to celebrate\u201d (Luke 15:22-24).<\/p>\n
IT SHOULD GIVE US COURAGE TO READ THE WORDS \u201cAND THEY BEGAN TO CELEBRATE.\u201d Among those old enough to discern right from wrong, there is not a one of us who has not \u201cleft home.\u201d We have broken our Father\u2019s heart, insisting on the freedom to go into a \u201cfar country\u201d where His will would not restrict us and we could indulge our own desires. Coming to our senses, we\u2019ve seen the tragedy of our decision, but perhaps we are reluctant to accept the invitation of the gospel to come back home to God. Perhaps we wonder what kind of reception we would receive if we did so.<\/p>\n
A problem we all have.<\/em> When we commit sin, we do something that everybody around us has also done. None of us is innocent. Deep in our hearts, we know Paul was right when he said that \u201call have sinned and fall short of the glory of God\u201d (Romans 3:23).<\/p>\n The necessity of repentance.<\/em> The gospel of God\u2019s forgiveness is a message that requires repentance. \u201cFrom that time Jesus began to preach, saying, \u2018Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand\u2019\u201d (Matthew 4:17). So there are two terrible mistakes we need to avoid: (1) presuming that God\u2019s grace will bless us whether we repent or not, and (2) presuming that if we don\u2019t repent today, there will be other days in the future when we can take care of that.<\/p>\n The joy of forgiveness.<\/em> Moved by love to end our rebellion against God, we must summon our courage and do what the Prodigal Son did: go back home and offer our repentance to our Father. What a day that will be! If there is a joy any deeper than forgiveness, it is the joy of living in a right relationship with the Father who has given us back what we so foolishly threw away.<\/p>\n When we have wandered away from home, our Father fervently desires for us to come back to Him (Luke 15:20). It is not just that He will allow us to return \u2014 He wants<\/em> us to return. And when we do, we can expect that, by His grace, there will be a banquet at which He will show us how much He has always loved us.<\/p>\n \u201cWhen prodigals return, great things are done\u201d (A. A. Dowty).<\/p>\n Gary Henry \u2013 WordPoints.com + AreYouaChristian.com<\/p>\n