The Father's Love

Reading Luke 15:11-32 this morning, I was again struck with the amazing love of the Father for us. The son takes his inheritance, leaves his father's home, blows everything he has on indulging in the world and hits rock bottom. He returns home, hoping only to be received as a hired hand; to be forever forsaken as a son because of his actions. However, this is not the case and two things strike my heart:

First, we discover that the father sees his son while still a long way off. I can just see the father, day after day, walking to the end of his property as the sun begins to set, hoping for a glimpse of his son returning home. The father was desperately anticipating the son's return. How amazing especially in the light of the sons deliberate action to forsake the father.

Second, instead of just receiving him as a servant - as would be the 'just' thing to do - he calls his servants to bring some fine clothes, prepare a huge, gourmet meal, because they are going to celebrate. The father treats this son with such honor and lavishly pours out his expression of love for him. I imagine what the son must have felt. Or I think back to the way I felt and how the Father treated me when I returned home.