We have all heard preaching on the story of the prodigal son. Revival preachers and evangelists love to preach the story. The story preaches at least three ways…from the prodigal son’s, the other brother’s, and the father’s points of view. The father’s point of view tells us a lot about God. The father in the story had open hands. He was wise enough to know that to keep his children, he had to let them go, to give them the independence to stand on their own. The father allowed the son the privilege of determining his course, to enjoy success and to feel the consequences of his mistakes. The father in the story also had open arms. When the boy came home, the father ran to greet him. The young man had blown his inheritance…he had hit rock bottom, yet the father did not write the boy off. No, the father welcomed his son home and revealed his love for his son again. The father in the story also had an open heart, he was compassionate, understanding and encouraging…to both of his sons. I am glad that God, our Father, has open hands, open arms and an open heart. We are not puppets. We have a free will to choose our way, to choose to obey or disobey God. And when we fail, if we turn to him, He meets us with open arms and an open heart. He provides total forgiveness. Our Father is with us all the time, to help us with whatever we are facing.
-Bro. David