When God Celebrates

But the father said to his servants, bring forth the best robe, and put it on him; and put a ring on his hand, and shoes on his fee: And bring hither the fatted calf, and kill it, and let us eat, and be merry:  For this my son was dead, and is alive again; he was lost, and is found.  And they began to be merry.

Luke 15:22-24

According to Christ, God the Father manifests Himself in various ways.  He loves His erring children enough to let them go; enough to look for their return; enough to run to meet them; and now, enough to celebrate their arrival.  Here is the evidence of the gracious character of God.  We hear Christ describing the father’s behavior.  The son was ready to become a servant in the household.  His whole attitude of entitlement had vanished like steam under the warm sunlight of the father’s love.  The father, in contrast to how he could have behaved, gives orders to the servants to, ‘Bring out the best robe and put it on him, and put a ring on his hand and sandals on his feet, and bring the fatted calf here and kill it, and let us eat and be merry.’  The father celebrated the return of his errant son.  This shows us, from the mouth of Christ Himself, how much God loves us.  This is the Father’s love on display in the most graphic way imaginable.  This draws our hearts out after Him in the most endearing way.  Today, we celebrate with God at the return of His erring children, and we magnify the God, Who is so good as to celebrate their return.

Our Good and Loving God,
we rejoice at Your kind and gracious welcome
to us as we come to You.
We praise You that You celebrate our return
along with all of those who love You.

Tomm Tice
Where the Bush is Burning