The Father does not wait for us to finish our apology. He runs to meet us.
“And he arose, and came to his father. But when he was yet a great way off, his father saw him, and had compassion, and ran, and fell on his neck, and kissed him.”Luke 15:20 (KJV)
What does “Homecoming” mean in Luke 15:20?
Compassion here is the Greek word splagchnizomai, a deep, gut-level feeling. The father sees his son from a long way off, which means he had been watching the road.
Going deeper
Jesus told this story of a son who took his inheritance, wasted it, and decided to go home and ask to be a servant. He rehearsed his speech. But look at what the father does. While the son is still a great way off, the father sees him, is moved with compassion, runs, and embraces him. Running was not what a man of his standing would usually do, and he does it anyway. That is the picture Jesus gives of God.
This is what God is like toward those who return. He watches the road, and He runs. Lent is about turning back, and you can do it without fear that you will be met with a lecture. Whatever has kept you away, whether shame, distance, or long neglect, take one step toward home today. The Father is closer than you think, and His arms are already open. Come home as you are, and let Him do the rest.
Reflect
What has kept you from coming home to God, and what one step could you take toward Him today?
Pray
Father, thank You for running to meet me. I come home to You, and I ask You to receive me. In Jesus' name, amen.
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