7.25.18 The Compassion of the Father

Photo By Nance Bove

 “And he arose and came to his father. But when he was still a great way off, his father saw him and had compassion, and ran and fell on his neck and kissed him. Luke 15:20

 

Compassion of the Father

By Michael Herbert

 

The story of the prodigal is well known among Christians and non-Christians as well. Biblical scholars agree to as the father for your inheritance, like the prodigal did was a violent act against the father. It would be the same as wishing he was dead. To suggest such things as a boy to his father would have been very disgraceful. The father could have taken this boy to the city fathers and had him stoned. But our father in this story decided to let the boy have his way, although the community would have concluded the father was not doing the right thing by allowing his son to have his inheritance while the father was still alive. In arranging the inheritance was no easy manner, either for the father. A lot of work had to go into obtaining the necessary cash in order to give to his son.

The story, however, of the father is what gets overshadowed by the actions of the son. All the way through this dialogue is the righteous acts of the father. Maybe there are some fathers out there whom, when hearing the actions of the son would confer that the son needs some tough love while other fathers may have begged the son to stay rather let him go.  One thing is for sure, Jesus had a reason why he chooses this father among others.  This is a glimpse into the holy character of our loving Father in heaven. We’ve never seen him, but Jesus said if you’ve seen me, you’ve seen the father Wow.

Our verse of this day stresses how the father was looking for his son to return. A watchful father is a loving father. A father who cares is watching while a father who simply kicks out out might not care less. This father was full of compassion. He was looking  down the roads of your life and mine  and waiting patiently for us to return to him. And many times we do come to God with pig slop all over us and at the same time trying to make up a story to find acceptance when all that was accomplished on the cross. The father in our story and the attributes of our father in heaven are the same. Our inheritance was lost in the garden,but the redemption came through Jesus. The father runs toward us as we return, a cardinal sin of that day. nonetheless the love of the father falls on us and kisses us. All of heaven rejoices over the saving or returning of one soul. Might that be you ?