DAY 21 For God so loved……….

Luke 15:11-32

A king hired an artist to draw a painting of the Prodigal Son. The artist worked hard using all of his skill and vision. After he finished the painting, he brought it to the king. The painting showed the father about to embrace the prodigal.   The king was very pleased and paid the artist. The next day, one of the king’s sons asked “why is the father wearing different color shoes?” The king was shocked and outraged to see the father painted as wearing one black shoe and one red shoe. So the King asked his soldiers to get the artist. When the artist was brought to the king, the king demanded why there was such a mistake. The artist smiled and said “O King! Those shoes show love of God for his lost son.” The king was astounded and asked for an explanation. The artist continued, ”The father was not thinking about himself. He was concerned about meeting and greeting the lost son he loved. So he took the nearest shoes he found and ran to welcome the prodigal.”  The king was pleased with the artist’s answer.

We all know the story of the prodigal son. But we being sinners, many times, (1)look-down on the prodigal because his actions brought shame to the father in his town; or (2) empathize with the older son because we consider ourselves faithful and dutiful children of God. In doing so, we overlook what the father has done.    

First let’s see what the father did not do. The father does not remember the shame and dishonor brought on him by the prodigal. The father does not punish, belittle, lecture or shame the prodigal.

So what does the humiliated and shamed father do? He does something that actually brings him more shame. “But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and felt compassion, and ran and embraced him and kissed him.”(Luke 15:20). First, from the words “his father saw him” we learn that the father was looking, in fact waiting and pining, for his son. Second, this happened during daytime because the father saw the son who was “a long way off”.  And third, the father shamefully “ran”. Around Jesus’ time, the noble and the rich who wore long robes would never run-it was beneath their dignity. Only the poor, the servants and guilty ran in those days.  Running meant lifting the ends of their long robes and exposing legs.  Exposing legs was considered indecent and shameful. But the father does not care! The father runs not caring for his own dignity because he is concerned about his son. 

But why does the father run? He wants to reach and protect his son before others reach him and abuse and humiliate him.  The father so loved the son he is willing to take the abuse and the shame on himself. This is an AWESOME father.

Dear brother and sister in Christ, our Father loves us so much that his love, mercy and grace are much greater than all of our sins. And because of Jesus, ‘instead of shame and dishonor there will be rejoicing’ (Isaiah 61:7) Our God is an AWESOME God. So let us approach him in all humility and relish his love toward us.

(Use your name to fill in the blanks)¹⁶"For God so loved _____________, that he gave his only Son, that ________________ who believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. ¹⁷For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn _______________, but in order that ___________ might be saved through him.    John 3:16, 17

Dear Heavenly Father! ‘Who is like you, majestic in holiness, awesome in glorious deeds, doing wonders?’(Exodus 15:11) I thank you for coming for me and accepting me(Romans 15:7) Amen.