Are We Eager?

20 And he arose and came to his father. But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and felt compassion, and ran and embraced him and kissed him. 21 And the son said to him, 'Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son.' 22But the father said to his servants, ‘Bring quickly the best robe, and put it on him, and put a ring on his hand, and shoes on his feet. 23 And bring the fattened calf and kill it, and let us eat and celebrate. 24 For this my son was dead, and is alive again; he was lost, and is found.' And they began to celebrate. ~ Luke 15:20-24

There are so many different lessons in these four short verses however the one that jumps out at me right now is; are you eager to see a lost soul returned to God? I think most know the story of the prodigal son, the story of how a son totally rebels against his father, his family and his heritage. A son who was so selfish that he wanted his inheritance before his father had passed away. He took his share of the family fortune and wasted it on indulgent living. He found himself broke, along, starving and almost naked. He had even stooped so low that he contemplated eating the pig’s food. He however came to his senses and decided to go home, that if he begged his father he may be able to live as a servant at his father farm, after all it was better than starving.

As he draws near his father’s farm none other than his father spots him. What happens next is amazing, once his father recognizes whom it is he does something totally undignified, he gathers up his robe in his hands and runs to his son! Scripture here says that he felt compassion on him, I can only imagine seeing one of my sons walking towards me in rags, skin and bones from not eating, dirty from the hard life he has experienced. Scripture goes on to say that he ran to him and embraced him. Close your eyes and see this scene unravel before you, can you see the embrace, the long loving huge from a father to his son?

What is the first thing the son does? He said, “Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you.” I am sure the son had much more to say however the father stops him before he can continue, much like our Father in Heaven stops us when we say Father I have sinned. He knows what we have done, He knows our heart and He knows that our confession can quickly become excuses. The father here knows this also and before the son can turn his confession into an excuse he stops him and begins to celebrate the return of his lost son.

The same is true of Yahweh-Rohi; He celebrates each and every lost soul that returns to Him. Our Almighty Father sees each and every one of us a priceless and grieves when we are lost and celebrates when we are returned to Him. Do we see others as God sees us? Do we grieve when we see a lost soul or when we see a Christian do something ungodly? Do we rejoice when we see a lost soul relinquish their life to Christ? Are we eager to gather up our robes in our hands and run, no not run, sprint to embrace a lost soul and tell them they are more valuable to God than all gold and precious stones in the world? Amen. <><