"So he got up and went to his father. But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and was filled with compassion for him; he ran to his son, threw his arms around him and kissed him” (Luke 15:20 NIV).
Child of God. That’s who I am.
Sometimes I forget and when I do, I end up doing things I have no business doing.
I’ve been there. I’ve done that.
Like the prodigal son, I have been a prodigal daughter, wandering far from home, wallowing in a pig pen, when I could have been dining at my Father’s table, lavished in mercy, grace and love.
What about you? Can you relate?
I’ve been a Christian for nearly 40 years. I started out strong, then went through years of rebellion, doing things I never dreamed I would do. I walked away from rich blessings, and instead squandered my talent, my body, my treasure.
God was my Father on Sunday, but I lived like an orphan the rest of the week.
But God…
He would not leave me there, in the mire of sin and shame.
No. He provided – and always provides – a way out. Not only does He welcome me back, time after time, the verse says He ran while being filled with compassion, not condemnation.
Like Simba in The Lion King, when we remember who we are, it should cause us to turn tail and run home. Eventually, that’s what I did.
Ahead of time, before the beginning of the World, God thought of you and me. Let that sink in. Before a single sin was committed, He had a plan. A plan of redemption because that is the core of who He is.
My Creator and my Redeemer.
Even though He knew I would be on fire for him in the beginning, he also knew that I would do all I could to douse the fire with my lukewarmness. Every sin I would commit, all the things I would do to bring shame to His name. He chose me anyway. And He chose you.
How this has humbled me. How this has made me grateful.
And it does. Sometimes. When I stop, pause and spend the time needed to worship and praise Him simply for who He is and what He has done for me. Like the prodigal son, I need to return to Him – as a continual habit, as an act of surrender -- over and over again.
I’ve never been worthy, never will be, in and of myself. But because He is, I am!
I am His child, I am redeemed and I have every spiritual blessing in Christ (Ephesians 1:3).
How glorious! How life-changing! I am no longer a slave to sin or fear or anything else. I am a child of God.
And so are you.
If you have walked away, come home. When you do, God will run to you, even when you are far off.
This was such a beautiful reminder, Erin. I became a Christian as a child, and yet I still need to remember every day that my truest identity is not found in my mistakes, fears, or failures, but in being a child of God. I love the picture of our Father running toward us with compassion rather than condemnation. What a comfort to know that when we wander, He does not leave us in our shame. He continually invites us to come home and receive the mercy, grace, and love that were waiting for us all along.
Such a great message! Thank you for sharing!