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Restored by Grace
Family-oriented movies
often end by showing a reunion of
loved ones. We see family members with
arms around each other in an
expression of love and support.
Through the parable of the Prodigal
Son, Jesus gives us this same picture
of our heavenly Father’s attitude
towards us. (Luke 15:21 niv) There,
Jesus reveals the magnificence of
grace. We see that the one sinned
against runs out to eagerly welcome
back the one who sinned; the one who
was wronged takes the
initiative—because of love—to restore
the broken relationship; the one
mistreated shows compassion to the one
at fault.
And there is even
more. The prodigal did not know his
full rights as a son would be
restored. As believers, however, we
know in advance what awaits us when we
humbly return. Because of grace, we
can count on acceptance no matter how
long we have been absent from the
Father or how far we have wandered.
Grace guarantees that our the Lord
will greet us with compassion and
forgiveness and lovingly restore us to
full rights as His children.
It is not our
performance—not good deeds or even the
correct apology—that matters; it is
our position in Christ. When God sees
that we belong to His Son, He forgives
us.
The parable of the
prodigal points us to the truth that,
because of Jesus Christ, we are
forgiven even before we return. While
this does not give us license to sin
(Romans 6:1-2), it does give us reason
to celebrate. Our Father waits to
welcome us home |
