The Waiting Father

And he said, A certain man had two sons: And the younger of them said to his father, Father, give me the portion of goods that falleth to me. And he divided unto them his living. And not many days after the younger son gathered all together, and took his journey into a far country, and there wasted his substance with riotous living. And when he had spent all, there arose a mighty famine in that land; and he began to be in want. And he went and joined himself to a citizen of that country; and he sent him into his fields to feed swine. And he would fain have filled his belly with the husks that the swine did eat: and no man gave unto him. And when he came to himself, he said, How many hired servants of my father's have bread enough and to spare, and I perish with hunger! I will arise and go to my father, and will say unto him, Father, I have sinned against heaven, and before thee, And am no more worthy to be called thy son: make me as one of thy hired servants. 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 15:11-20)

THOUGHT FOR TODAY: 

Whether we like to admit it or not, the people we see with all the tattoos and body piercings are crying out for help.  They can say they are just expressing themselves, but really, there is something inside that says, "Someone help me and direct me in the right way."  I'm not down on these people, and please don’t think I am; I'm just letting us know that these are warning signs of a confused and inwardly hurting generation.  

The story of the prodigal son is usually spoken of in most church services sometime during the year.  I have preached from this story many times and have even seen myself in the story.  But what stood out to me in the story today was the father.  The whole story is about the loving and compassionate father and not the son.  If you will notice, the father sees the son; Jesus said, "When he was yet a great way off."   Notice, the father recognized his son a long way off.  Even though he was in a terrible condition, the father still knew who he was.  Even the parents of kids who have tattoos and body piercings still know who they are.  We can never get so low that Jesus cannot recognize us, reach us, or find us.  He knows who we are.  And when we make up our minds to come home, He'll see us coming, meet us, and restore us to our rightful state and place in the Kingdom.