In Luke 15, Jesus told a story of a prodigal son who asked for his own
portion of the inheritance from his father instead of waiting for him to
die, and the father granted it to him. Years later the son came back with
nothing. Surprisingly, his father welcomed him back into the household with
open arms!
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This parable shows us the extent of God’s unfailing love toward us, that at
any point in time He is ready to receive us no matter what we have done.
His love has no limits; His mercies endure forever (Psalm 136:1). Because
Jesus died on the cross and rose from the dead for us, we can always come
home to God and be forgiven. No matter what we have done, God wants us to
run to Him for help.
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A close look at the parable shows us that the young man felt so ashamed,
and he thought he was unworthy to even be called the son of his father
anymore. He acknowledged that he had sinned. He realized that by rejecting
his father, he had missed it. But the idea dawned on him to return back
home and ask to be treated as a servant. When the father saw his son
coming, he ran to him and welcomed him back wholeheartedly despite all he
had done.
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Beloved child of God, what have you done that you think is beyond God’s
forgiveness? Instead of trying to analyze the situation, just go back to
God. No matter the gravity or intensity of sin you have committed, God is
ready to receive you back into the fold of His family. He has been waiting
for you for so long. Just go ahead and come to Jesus, and you will receive
forgiveness. Remember how
the prodigal son was restored back to the family as if nothing had
happened. That’s how God works. If you return to Him, He will restore you
better than before. The prodigal son was treated as a legitimate part of
the family, and even given a welcome-home party, all because his father was
overjoyed to have him back!
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If you are hesitating to go back to God, remember, He already knows that
you have done wrong, and He doesn’t want you to stay in guilt and silence
when there’s help available to you. Run to Jesus. He will enfold you in His
arms, and your sins will be forgiven. • Shadrach Goni
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• Why do you think we often hesitate to come back to God when we sin?
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• How has Jesus made it possible for us to return home to God? (Find out
more on our “Know Jesus” page.)
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“So he returned home to his father… his father saw him coming. Filled
with love and compassion, he ran to his son, embraced him, and kissed him.”
Luke 15:20 (NLT)
Read Verses:
Luke.15.11-Luke.15.32
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