Our Scripture reading today is Luke 15:20, "And he arose and came to his father. But when he was a great way off, his father saw him, and had compassion, and ran, and fell on his neck, and kissed him."
The love of the father exceeds the level of repentance from the son. His love for his foolish son never wavered. I have tried to imagine this reunion in my mind. Was he standing out there for a certain number of hours every day? Did ever miss a day? It did not matter that the son had take discraced the family name. The father was waiting for his return and when the father spotted his son, the father came running to him. Running like this was not a norm for older men in this culture. It did not matter to this loving father.
What a beautiful picture of the love of God! We are loved by a holy God in spite of our sinfulness. We are received by a holy God in spite of our foolish choices. We are sought ought by a holy God in spite of our waywardness. May God help us to have this level of love for the prodigal who we are praying for. May God help us to return to Him if we are the prodigal!