Tues., 3/1/16 Devotion (Lk. 15:21)

Today's encouragement comes from Luke 15:21, where we read these great words:

"And the [prodigal] son said to [his father], ‘Father, I have sinned against hea-ven and in your sight, and am no longer worthy to be called your son.’ "

To me, this is a most poignant and beautiful section of Holy Scripture. The Prodigal Son is on his way home. He has been rehearsing his lines. He is saying to himself, "Remember to say, 'I have sinned.’ Do not forget the 'no longer worthy' part. And be sure to finish with, 'Make me like one of your hired servants.' "

The Son does pretty well at getting his speech out to his father—but before he ever gets to his last line (about being a hired servant), his father is all over him, showering love and acceptance on him. So it is with God: He is a loving Father, who forgives His own elect children of His church, and receives them into His embraces. This parable is a vivid picture of God's love for the people Jesus procured with His precious blood atonement.

[Puritan quote of the day: "If anything in us or on our part could stop God lov-ing us [His church], then He would long ago have turned away from us.”
—John Owen, in, "Communion with God"]