Luke 15:17-20
17 “When he came to his senses, he said, ‘How many of my father’s hired servants have food to spare, and here I am starving to death! 18 I will set out and go back to my father and say to him: Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you. 19 I am no longer worthy to be called your son; make me like one of your hired servants.’ 20 So he got up and went to his father.
“But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and was filled with compassion for him; he ran to his son, threw his arms around him and kissed him.
In a recent lesson titled “And Jesus Stood Still” we saw where Jesus stopped and stood still, making time for Bartimaeus to come to Him asking for mercy and healing.
Mark 10:48-49 KJV
48 And many charged him that he should hold his peace: but he cried the more a great deal, Thou son of David, have mercy on me.
49 And Jesus stood still, and commanded him to be called. And they call the blind man, saying unto him, Be of good comfort, rise; he calleth thee.
One of the primary messages of that lesson is that what Jesus does for one person, He will do for all.
In this lesson, taught by Jesus in the parable of The Prodigal Son, we see where our Heavenly Father runs to meet the prodigal son, who has decided to come back home to Him.
I find the two instances so encouraging and inspiring. God inspired both examples of His love, to be included in His word and what opposites they are. Jesus stood still and God ran. Yet they illustrate the same thing. God’s love for us.
In one case, God through Christ has time for everyone. Jesus takes the time to stand still, so Bartimaeus can come to Him. Whenever we have a need, Christ is “standing” there waiting for us to call upon Him.
In the other instance, we see where God runs to a wayward soul who is coming back to Him.
In the parable of the “Prodigal Son” the father represents God and Jesus said that upon seeing the son coming down the road, He ran to him with love and compassion.
Since Jesus metaphorically said the Father ran to meet his wayward son, I believe that God metaphorically runs toward those who come to Him through Christ, as well as those who return to Him after walking away.
He is omnipotent, omniscient and omnipresent. He is outside of time and space as we know it, not being confined as humans are. He created the universe and all the life therein, so it isn’t surprising that He would have time to listen to us.
As Jesus said in the parable, I believe God longingly looks “down the road”, hoping that He will see someone coming home to Him.
If you are not reconciled with God, with Jesus Christ as your personal savior, call upon Him today.
He is watching for you and will run to meet you, welcoming you home.
If you are a Christian, but you are going through trials of some sort, Jesus is standing by to hear from you. He says “take my yoke upon you.” In other words, let him help you with your load.
The message for all of us is that we are important to God.
There will never be a time when someone is turned away or ignored, if they truly call upon God through Jesus Christ our advocate.
RVH