Jesus told this story: There was a boy who asked his father to give him his inheritance early. He thought to himself, "He doesn't want me to have any fun. I'm going to do my own thing" (in that culture this meant, "I wish you were dead now. I don't love you, I just want what you can give me.") His father gave it to him, feeling very sad.
The boy went away and spend all that he had in wild living. When the money ran out, his new "friends" left him, and the only work he could find was feeding pigs. He got so hungry that he wished he could eat the pigs' food.
He decided to go back to his father and beg to be a servant in his house. But as he was still a long way off, his father (who had been watching for him every day) came running out to meet him (his old father, so dignified, didn't care about propriety, he was so happy to see his lost son!
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Father God,
Wow, your love is so amazing! Even though we often just love you for what you can give us, and bring shame upon your family name, you watch and wait for us. You come running out to meet us when we just begin to turn back to you... you don't shame us, but instead, give us your full favor again, though we don't deserve it. Why don't you shame us? We can't understand it, but we thank you, loving Father!
We want to love like you do, God... to see others when they are still a long way off, the people we think deserve to be shamed... and run out to meet them, fully forgive them and restore them back to life and close relationship. Please give us new hearts to know your love and share it with others joyfully!
Amen.
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