“He got up, and started towards his father. But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and felt compassion, and ran and embraced him and kissed him.” Luke 15:20
Heavenly Father, these 5 glorious words—”saw, felt, ran, embraced, kissed”… they summarize what we need and want more than anything else in the cosmos—right now and forever.
You, see us as we truly are on this Saturday morning—messy, moody, and miserable. You feel compassion, not contempt for us. In the Gospel, you run to us as a loving , welcoming Father. You don’t march towards us like an angry general, or saunter along in our direction, like a busy deal-making CEO.
By your grace, you embrace us so tightly, so kindly, so gladly… and you will not let go of us. You give us “kisses”—the language of affection; not probation, a second chance, or a to-do list. Hallelujah. Hallelujah. Hallelujah!
Oh Father, whatever our emotional condition, spiritual temperature, or physical location—you desire us, are pursuing us, and are so very close by.
Some of us feel so much shame, we only see our failure. Some of us feel so much anger, we can’t see straight. Some of us feel so hopeless, we can only see the dark. Some of us feel so much fear, we only see threat. But you see us, Father, and you will find us. Thank you, 1000 times, thank you. So very Amen we pray, in Jesus’ merciful and mighty name.