The Strayed Son or Daughter

Often in my life, I get frustrated with something and my frustration turns to anger and sometimes my anger even turns to blaming God. And it's at these hard valleys in life- that I need God most. Yet the Devil works so hard, to convince my mind that I'm undeserving of God's grace, that I'm too low, too needy, too emotional, too far from God at the present time to come back and make that connection.

So I run and flail from the things I need most. I need prayer, I need Jesus, I need friends. And yet I want distance, so I run. I rebel. I try to flee the people and God who love me most.

And it's after I've attempted to run away, to fix it on my own, to avoid the issue- that I finally find myself lying on the ground in the mud, in the dirt, all alone. And I remember..

Wait I need Jesus.

Jesus can you still save me?

Jesus do you still love the one covered in dirt?

And the wonderful news is, friends. That He loves us, oh how he loves us. Luke 15:22-24

But the father said to his servants, ‘Quick! Bring the best robe and put it on him. Put a ring on his finger and sandals on his feet. Bring the fattened calf and kill it. Let’s have a feast and celebrate. For this son of mine was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.’
This is a story I know by heart. And sure there's times I roll my eyes, because I say: why so much love for the rebel child? When the good son has been there all alone being obedient.

But friends, when you find yourself convicted. When you find yourself enslaved by sin. When you find yourself wondering far away, this story quickly becomes your story.

He runs to meet you.

He sings and dances over you.

He celebrates with you. Not only the big steps and conversions. But when you find your way back to Him again, He celebrates that with you.

He is a God of mercy. He is a God of forgiveness, of hope, of love.

And when you become a child of God, he won't just abandon you for messing up or straying. He will look for you. He will fight for you. Your identity is safe in Him as a son or daughter.

So take courage, no matter how far you've ran, no matter how far you've strayed. You can still come home.