Welcome to another day the Lord has made that we should rejoice and be glad in. (Psalms 118:24)

Let’s travel through a family reunion today

Today’s scripture, Luke 15:20-24 (NLT), is a snipit from Jesus’ prodigal son parable…
[20] “So he returned home to his father. And while he was still a long way off, his father saw him coming. Filled with love and compassion, he ran to his son, embraced him, and kissed him. [21] His son said to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against both heaven and you, and I am no longer worthy of being called your son.’ [22] “But his father said to the servants, ‘Quick! Bring the finest robe in the house and put it on him. Get a ring for his finger and sandals for his feet. [23] And kill the calf we have been fattening. We must celebrate with a feast, [24] for this son of mine was dead and has now returned to life. He was lost, but now he is found.’ So the party began.

Consider…
Family reunions tend to be festive times. They typically include food, fellowship and fun shared with family.

According to Oxford Languages dictionary, reunion means…

• an instance of two or more people coming together again after a period of separation.
• a social gathering attended by members of a certain group of people who have not seen each other for some time.
• the act or process of being brought together again as a unified whole.

Today’s scripture reminds me of a family reunion. Let’s drop in and see what’s going on.

Most of us are familiar with Jesus’ parable of the prodigal son who wandered, and squandered his daddy’s blessings. Many of us wander, and squander our Heavenly Father’s blessings too!

Fortunately the impetuous son remembered his dependable father and decided to leave the struggle and return to stability. There are moments when we get low enough, that we too remember we have a faithful and loving Heavenly Father who is willing and able to take care of us. And when we come to our senses, we decide to leave our struggling self-sufficent faith and return to faith in God alone.

Another parallel in the prodigal son parable is our futile plan to manipulate our Daddy’s mercy for our survival. You know the empty promises we make like, ‘Lord if you get me out of this situation I won’t miss another Sunday of church’. That’s no different than the prodigal son concocting a speech to humbly curry mercy from his father, whom he pridefully abandoned earlier. God wants us to confess our sins, not try to manipulate Him.

As we follow the son’s return further we see something subtle and unstated, which is he remembered how to get home. That’s what prayer represents for us who have gotten off track, the way back to our Daddy!

This brings us to the climatic moment that we’re all too familiar with, the Father’s recognition of His child’s return. I love how Jesus said…
And while he was still a long way off, his father saw him coming.

It’s good to know that God recognizes we’re coming home long before we reach Him. In fact that’s what Romans 8:29-30 (NLT) describes. It says…
[29] For God knew his people in advance, and he chose them to become like his Son, so that his Son would be the firstborn among many brothers and sisters. [30] And having chosen them, he called them to come to him. And having called them, he gave them right standing with himself. And having given them right standing, he gave them his glory.

God gave us free choice, and He also knew in advance that we would choose Him. Thus, when we get lost, He doesn’t panic, instead He just patiently waits for us to return.

Yet another beautiful discovery from this story is the Father’s reaction to meet the son halfway. Today’s scripture shares…
Filled with love and compassion, he ran to his son, embraced him, and kissed him.

Wow! I just heard David Crowder Band sing…

He is jealous for me
Love’s like a hurricane, I am a tree
Bending beneath the weight of His wind and mercy
When all of a sudden
I am unaware of these afflictions eclipsed by glory
And I realize just how beautiful You are
And how great Your affections are for me
And oh, how He loves us, oh
Oh, how He loves us
How He loves us all

God loved us so much that He came all the way to earth to meet us. In fact He sent Jesus in advance to bring us home. Ephesians 1:5 (NLT) explains…
[5] God decided in advance to adopt us into his own family by bringing us to himself through Jesus Christ. This is what he wanted to do, and it gave him great pleasure.

Make no mistake, God is proactive, not reactive. What I mean is God acts knowing what will be. He doesn’t react to what has happened. Thus, He sent His only begotten Son because He knew in advance that you and I would believe on Him and be saved!

Now I could continue through this story and point out the son’s failure to read the room. The fact is that the son was determined to make his case, even though the Father had already extended amazing Grace. Suffice to say, we should pay attention to when God has spoken, and know that there’s no more we need to say.

Let’s run to the last verse of today’s snipit of the prodigal son parable. It says…
for this son of mine was dead and has now returned to life. He was lost, but now he is found.’ So the party began.

Here’s the crazy thing about this story, it’s about a child who has left and returned. To make it plain, it’s about a believer who has gotten of track but came to their senses and came back.

We know that the angels in Heaven party when a sinner gets saved and baptized, but based on Jesus’ parable our Heavenly Father throws a family reunion when we prodigals return.

Today, if you still find yourself wallowing in the pigpen, follow the prodigal son’s example…

• REMEMBER your faithful loving Daddy
• RETURN to Him by prayer and confession
• Enjoy the Father’s family REUNION

Today’s Song is…
Run To The Father

Blessings 4HG (1 Corinthians 10:31)