His arms are forever open to you!

The parable of the prodigal son is one of the best known and most touching. It tells us that when the son returns to his father’s house, after he had squandered his whole inheritance, his father saw him in the distance and “had compassion, and ran and fell on his neck and kissed him.” (the Bible, Luke 15:20)

Do you see? The father did not rebuke his son at all! And yet he definitely could have. He could’ve started by waiting on the doorstep and telling him, “Why have you come back? To ask me for more money? What have you done with what I gave you?”

No, the father doesn’t reproach him at all, asks him no questions… Instead, he rolls up his tunic so he can run and races to his son, challenging the social norms of his time in the process.

Instead of heaping shame and blame on his son’s shoulders, he abundantly pours out love for his child!

My friend, your Heavenly Father will always welcome you with open arms. You can come to Him without fear. He isn’t waiting for you “on the doorstep” to reproach, criticize, or interrogate you. No, He’s running toward you! Do you see Him drawing near to you, a smile on His lips, tears in His eyes, overwhelmed with emotion to find you again?

You are so loved!