“But you, Lord, are a compassionate and gracious God,

slow to anger, abounding in love and faithfulness.”

Psalm 86:15

I am sure if you can count all the bad decisions you have ever made in your life, you will say there are too many of them. Many of those bad choices that you have made in the past may cause you to live with regrets, emotional scars, and disappointments. You may even blame yourself for making those bad decisions, entering into that destructive relationship, or accepting that bad investment offer. And because you have made these so-called “bad decisions” in your life, you think that God is too mad at you to even bother looking at you, much less love you.

Dearly beloved, that is so far from the truth of how God feels about you at this very moment. Consider the story of the prodigal son in Luke 15. The second son has decided to ask for his inheritance while his father is still alive. That decision alone was an ultimate insult to his father. It is like saying to the father, “Why don’t you drop dead already so I can enjoy my inheritance?” However, without any resistance, the father gave the son his portion of the inheritance, and the son left his home to enjoy his life. The story took a dark turn when the wayward son squandered all his wealth in what the Scripture depicts as “wild living.” To make matters worse, a severe famine ravaged the whole country, and he began to be in desperate need. Out of his desperation to stay alive, the second son forced himself to work with a citizen of that country in his fields to feed a bunch of pigs, Ironically, it is the last thing this son would ever do, since that is the whole reason he left his father’s home in the first place – to avoid hard work. Long story short, he came to his senses and decided to return home by proposing to work at his father’s house as a hired servant. As he was returning home, his father saw him while he was still a long way off. At this point, we would expect his father to send a few of his servants to retrieve his son for a good “I-told-you-so-discipline” and a good beating. Instead, the story expounds that when the father saw his son, he was filled with compassion for him, and he ran to his son. When he reached him, the father threw his arms around him and kissed him. When the son tried to explain all his faults, shortcomings, and how unworthy he was to be called his son, the father didn’t even want to hear it. On the contrary, the father said to his servants, ‘Quick! Bring the best robe and put it on him. Put a ring on his finger and sandals on his feet. Bring the fattened calf and kill it. Let’s have a feast and celebrate. For this son of mine was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.’ So they began to celebrate.

Jesus told this parable to show us the heart of our heavenly Father toward all His dear children who may have sinned or missed the mark. God knows that every time you fail, the enemy has already set out his plan to fill your mind with thoughts of condemnation and guilt for what you have done. That is the reason God sent His only begotten Son, Jesus, into the world to become the Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world. He has already judged all the sins you will ever commit in this life on the beaten down body of Jesus. In the finished work of Jesus, God is not reminded of your failures and sins but of His mercy and forgiveness toward them. That is why today, when you come to Him, there will always be the Father’s embrace and restoration waiting for you. God is waiting to show forth the abundance of His love at full speed. Why? Simply because you are forever his blood-bought child, whether you are lost or not.

Scripture Reading: Luke 15:11-24

This Devotional is from:

“Live The New You – 365 Days Devotional in Living the Real You”