Tuesday, August 11, 2015

The Prodigal Son

Heard this song again on the radio today

 I feel like the prodigal son who has returned home.
The father warmly embraces him and is relentless in pouring out his love towards his son.
It never says how the son feels in response to his father's great love. It only says that at first the son wanted to be a slave,  but it never says afterwards if the son was able to really feel and receive all the love he was given. Or if he felt awkward. I can hardly imagine the younger son being like "Daddy's let's go do this!! Let's go play!" and the relationship being restored immediately to an intimate father-son relationship. Maybe he felt awkward and couldn't fully receive all the love right away.

I think that's how I feel. Or felt.
Free, but awkward.

It's similar to having a father who rarely ever said "I love you" and hugged you, but now does it all the time.

A sister prayed for me and she said she saw me walking in a house that used to be slanted, but now the house was flat/straight, but I was still hesitant to walk because I still felt like it was slanted even though it wasn't anymore.

While listening to the song, I was reminded of a sister who prayed for me. I didn't know her at all; she just felt led to pray for us. When she prayed for me and looked at me, water started coming in her eyes. She looked at me with tear-filled eyes as she spoke. At that moment, I felt God's eyes looking at me and His love towards me, and I knew that He knew. That He knows, and that He feels.

Sometimes you think of the prodigal son's story, and you just think about the big party the father throws, and the ring and cloak, the restoration of sonship. But it's not just the celebration. Father knows the journey it took to come back, and entire experience you had of leaving. Of course, He is the one who leads you back, but He also knows and feels. Sometimes you think of the phrase "forgive and forget", and yes, God forgives you as if it never happened, but that doesn't mean He doesn't also know you intimately.  He looks at me with tear-filled eyes that radiate with love. With these eyes, He says to me: Welcome home Jamie