Straining to see the distant horizon, I squinted my eyes in an effort to catch sight of the person I was waiting for. A thousand thoughts raced through my mind: Does she know where to get off the train? Did she understand my directions? My heart pumped faster as the seconds ticked by. Finally, the person I so wanted to see came into view! In that split second, anxiety was replaced by gladness.
That experience reminds me of the parable of the lost son. The father was waiting for his son’s return. Every day, he would take his vigil at the outpost—looking for the young man he loved. And while the son was “still a long way off, his father saw him coming” (Luke 15:20).
Can you imagine what the father must have been doing to catch a glimpse of the young man at such a great distance? Perhaps he had positioned himself on high ground so that he could see further. Or perhaps he was trying hard to keep his eyes opened despite his weariness.
We don’t know exactly what he was doing, but his efforts paid off. He caught sight of his son while the young man was still far away. And when he saw him, “he ran to his son, embraced him, and kissed him” (Luke 15:20). The father ran.
In those days, running was considered undignified for the family patriarch, but this father was full of unbridled joy. Jesus told this parable to help the religious leaders— as well as us—understand God’s heart for the lost and the joy He experiences when they return.
Do we share our Father’s heart? In Luke 19:10, Jesus states His personal mission statement. He said, “The Son of Man came to seek and save those who are lost.” What distance are we willing to go to see the lost come home to Jesus?
NLT 365-day reading plan passage for today: Joshua 23:1-16
More:
Read Hosea 11:1-4,8-9 to gain further insight into God’s heart for His wayward people.
Next:
How can you grow in your love for lost people? What will you do today to “seek and save the lost”?
dekim1 on March 5, 2011 at 9:53 am
luke 15 my favorite chapter. To know that my LORD would love me that much to disgrace himself & come running to me to show me his love boggles my brain. Thank you FATHER
eppistle on March 5, 2011 at 10:23 am
It’s easy for our hearts to become indifferent to whether the prodigal comes home. Lord, give me a tender heart to ache for the prodigals. May it be my passionate desire that they come home.
purestrength on March 5, 2011 at 11:16 am
Some days it is so difficult to know what to say to those family, friends and coworkers who do not know Jesus. I pray that the Lord will give me the opportunities and the words to share His love with them. The most difficult are the ones who have “a religion” that is not the Truth.
daisymarygoldr on March 5, 2011 at 2:02 pm
Don’t give up. Continue to show love. Keep praying for the lost. I learned this the hard way—as a big sister to a prodigal brother who has thankfully returned back to the Father’s house. I had tried to control—through anger, arguing and tears. It did not work. It was a shock to discover how little control I have over the lost.
Especially, if the lost are our loved ones, friends and fellow believers who drift away, stop going to church or totally reject the very faith and become atheists. If we don’t commit them to the Lord in prayers, then we’ll end up getting overwhelmed with feelings of guilt, anger, frustration, and bitterness.
No matter how hopeless the lost case appears to be, we must always have hope and trust the Lord for the salvation of the lost. The Lord’s arm is not too short to save (Isa 59:1). God is able to save to the uttermost.
followingHim on March 5, 2011 at 2:27 pm
Allow me to amplify DaisyMaryGoldr’s remarks wtih my personal experience. Getting caught up in workaholism and sinful, emotional aloofness, I alienated my wife to the point she became involved with another man and fled across the country with him. God removed the man from her circumstances, but she was still very hostile to me–while living alone in subsistence-level poverty.
I learned how much I do love her, and remained convinced that it was the Lord’s will to restore our marriage. I constantly reminded her how I love her, and demonstrated my repentance as best I could. Finally, all I could do was pray, and I realized I was involved with “the principalities” (Eph 6.12). I prayed intensely for His protection from these entities, and His sovereign control and grace in my life and our marriage.
It was a long, painful and frightening half-year. But mere days before my wife was about to undertake a permanent move to separate, she repented and came home. Praise our Lord, we have made substantial, even fast, progress at restoring our marriage.
May my brief testimony encourage all those who have lost loved ones to backsliding or rebellion. All praise to Him who loves us–amen!
tom felten on March 5, 2011 at 5:45 pm
followingHim, thanks so much for sharing your story of repentance, grace, and restoration! It’s amazing what God can do when we turn to Him and seek His power in our weakness. My prayer is that you and your wife will continue to see God restore and renew your marriage. Thank you for your honesty about your own sin and for reflecting the very love of God in your pursuit of your wife. Peace.
Em on March 5, 2011 at 10:20 pm
I am so glad that God never gave up on me. I tried to give up on Him in college–instead of being confident in God’s sovereignty and control, I questioned my faith and dabbled in drugs and alcohol. It took me several years to find my way back.
I am certain that some of my Christian brothers and sisters prayed that I would find my way back to God. I can never thank them enough.
My life is still far from perfect, but every day I get closer to being the person I want to be and closer to God. Thank you, God, for you waiting for me!
conmeo on March 5, 2011 at 10:42 pm
Thank you following him. Tom. Poh. Mike. Roxanne. Regina. Tom. Sheridan. All o fyou at ODJ. Yoou jave helped keep me alive with hope when I have been hopeless. I have lost all but God my Lord and the Holy Spirit. Please pray for me I am so lonely without my family. I know I shouldn’t but I am weak and He is strong. Thank you all I love you. Conmeo
poh fang chia on March 6, 2011 at 7:54 pm
Dear Conmeo,
Psalm 42 and 43 bring me great comfort when I feel down and out. May these psalms offer you great comfort too.
Poh Fang
ByGrace on March 5, 2011 at 11:00 pm
Thank you everyone who posted. Conmeo, I will pray for you. I would welcome all prayers myself. Separated from a wonder wife and mother now for 8 months. She is just waiting to get our 1 year separation before she makes it final. I brought most of this on myself. We have 3 wonderful children and the four of us pray every day for God’s awesome healing.
My hope doesn’t rest in anything I can do or my wife will do. My hope is completely in my savior. I believe in prayer and appreciate any sent on my family’s behalf.
God Bless!
poh fang chia on March 6, 2011 at 7:55 pm
Yes, I’m praying for you.
Poh Fang