And he arose and came to his father. But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and felt compassion, and ran and embraced him and kissed him. And the son said to him, “Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son.” But the father said to his servants, “Bring quickly the best robe, and put it on him, and put a ring on his hand, and shoes on his feet. And bring the fattened calf and kill it, and let us eat and celebrate. For this my son was dead, and is alive again; he was lost, and is found.” And they began to celebrate.
–Luke 15:20-24
Years ago, a young man left angry from his home outside of Chicago. He and his father had harsh words and he swore to never come back.
He did his own thing for a several years, but he always wanted to go back home. So he wrote a letter to his mother that said, “Mother, I want to come home, but father said don’t ever come back. I don’t know if I can come back.”
And he asked his mother to do something strange. He said, “If father will let me come home, have him tie a white handkerchief in the tree out front. And when I come by on the train I’ll see it and know whether to get off.”
Well, the boy was sweating all the way home. But as the train rounded the bend, he peered out the window and, to his amazement, on every branch was a white piece of cloth. His father had taken every bed sheet and every pillow in the house and ripped them up and tied them on the tree to say, “Welcome home, son!”
You and I have a Father like that, too. He wants you to come home if you’re living far from Him. And it’s because of what Christ has done, His death and resurrection, that you can come home today.
IF YOU’RE LIVING LIFE WITHOUT GOD, TURN BACK TO HIM BY TRUSTING IN CHRIST’S DEATH FOR YOU AND COME HOME TO GOD’S FAMILY!
