The Prodigal Father

We didn't know him. We had no idea where he was. We never dreamed he was watching and waiting.

For years, ever since we left him, we've thought of him. Sometimes more than others. Maybe at times we didn't think about him much. Caught up in the parties and a lifestyle of our making, perhaps we forgot about him, at least for a season. But he never forgot about us—ever. Not for even one minute.

He didn't because he can't. Because he promised he wouldn't. And he can't lie. He said he'd never do what we did. He promised he'd never fail us. Never forsake us. Never forget us. And he hasn't.

All the years we were gone, he waited and watched. But that's not all he did. He knew where we were. Even when, like Adam, we had no idea that we'd moved so far away from him. He knew what we were doing. Even when, like Abram, we lied to protect ourselves. He knew how we felt. Even when, like the disciples, we cried out, "Don't you care?"

He does. He always has. He always will. Because he's obsessed. He can't help himself. He loves us. Not just when we're good, but especially when we're bad. He loved us in Eden and in Gethsemane and on Calvary. And if he loved us then, he loves us now.

We're like the two sons in the famous Bible story known as The Prodigal Son. Neither of them understood their father's love. The younger son thought he had to earn his father's favor. The older brother thought he already had. The one thought he'd done more than enough. The other thought he needed to do the impossible. Both wanted to become worthy. Neither realized they already were. Both of them failed to grasp, as we do, that love is not about what we do; it's about what the father did.

The word prodigal means extravagantly wasteful. That's why we call the younger man the prodigal. But the word also means lavish.

The father who spared no expense, but instead divided all that he had and gave to them—both of them—demonstrated his lavish love. God demonstrated that same lavish love when we least deserved it. While we were his enemies. While we were in a far away country. While we lived and worked in his house.

Now, God wants us to celebrate with him. He wants us to enjoy the riches of his lavish love. The best robe, his righteousness. The ring, the seal of his authority. And shoes. Because sons, not servants, wore shoes. But most important , he wants us to persuade others to celebrate with him. He wants us to invite them to experience the lavish love of the Prodigal Father.