It’s Friday…He’s Already There

It’s Father’s Day weekend. If God were like a watchmaker who wound up the universe, His heart would not yearn. If He were like a CEO, He would be more preoccupied with profit than compassion. If He were like a landlord, He would let us come and go without much fanfare. But He is none of these things. He’s a father, and a father’s heart beats loudly and bleeds often for his child.

“Therefore, My heart yearns for him; I have great compassion for him,” declares The LORD.  (Jeremiah 31:20)

That’s especially true when a child goes astray. Israel had gone astray – that’s the context of this passage – and throughout all of the prophets’ proclamations of judgment, God’s deep impassionate pleas for the lost child are ever sounded. A father cannot be content to write off a wayward child, in his mind they must return, or his heart will be forever broken. There is no cure for a father’s love.

That’s nowhere more evident than in Jesus’ story of the prodigal son. As you’ve heard, the young man had offended his father, squandered the family inheritance, shown no regard for his own (or the family’s) reputation, and reveled in corruption. When finally, out of desperation he returned to the father’s estate, he expected a cold shoulder and hoped for a menial job. Instead, the father ran to meet him – an undignified sprint fueled by the love only a father can feel. That, said Jesus, is what our Father is like.

No matter how often how often we’ve failed, God doesn’t get over us. He doesn’t write us out of His will, He doesn’t pass us over for better children, and He doesn’t let His love lapse. A child of His may not return for years – or ever, for that matter – but our Father still waits. A yearning heart never gives up.

How is our relationship with the heavenly Father? Is it as deep and as satisfying as He wants it to be? If not, why not? We don’t need to wait for Him to draw closer; He’s Already There. The next move is ours.

Have an memorable weekend. Make it better by worshiping The LORD with those who are intimately aware of His love for them and reciprocate as often as they can.

All For Jesus – Nothing More, Nothing Less, Nothing Else.

“He who is the blessed and only Sovereign, The King of kings and Lord of lords, who alone has immortality, who dwells in unapproachable light, whom no one has ever seen or can see, to Him be honor and eternal dominion. Amen.” (1 Timothy 6:15b-16)