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 15:20 KJV)
My Labrador retriever, Buddy, escaped his fence recently. He is young and inexperienced. When I discovered him missing, my mind immediately conjured up every scenario possible: had he gone up the street to visit his girlfriend, or was he lying injured somewhere in the woods? Had he been hit by a car? Was he hungry? My mind raced as I drove up and down the road with my husband, looking for him.
After an unsuccessful hunt we pulled into our driveway. Despite the fact that I had just spent an hour searching for him, I immediately looked for Buddy where he always stood waiting for us whenever we arrived home. He wasn’t there. My heart lurched. Where was my friend?
It made me think about how God misses us when we drift from Him. We are His children. How much longing must He feel for our return? He does not grieve because we are lost forever, which is how I perceived Buddy’s situation; however, He does grieve, wanting desperately to fellowship with us.
How relieved I was when the phone rang the next morning. Buddy found his way to a stranger’s house, where he had been fed and sheltered for the night. Although he had been cared for, he was excited to see me. I didn’t berate him for running away—I just threw my arms around his neck and hugged him.
Thank You, Father, for Your mercy. You wait patiently when we wander away, and You welcome us back with open arms, never mentioning our sin.
© 2009 Katherine A. Fuller
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