The Prodigal Daughter

I'm pretty sure that you've either read or heard the story of the prodigal son. If not, I'll give you an extremely brief synopsis:

There were two sons who lived with their father. Neither one of them lacked anything at their father's house. One day, the younger son decides that he wants to go out and do his own thing. So, he gathers up all of his inheritance from his father and leaves. He goes out into the world and does real big. The Bible says that he lived wildly and squandered all of his money. When things got real and he began to hunger, he realized that he had a father who had servants with food to spare. So, he set out to go to his father with the mindset of merely being treated like a servant. That was enough for him. But when his father saw him from a far, he ran upon him, loved on him, and rejoiced that he was home. He even threw a party for him.

This story sums up the relationship that I've created with God. Just recently, I naively decided to go down a road. I say that I did it naively because I half prayed about it; and I ignored the things that were previously told to me. It's always the case. But as soon as I'm burned and realize that I left my father's house for foolishness, I come running back.

And God opens His arms so wide for me every single time. As humans, we are natually selfish. Our first inclination is to think about ourselves: how does this situation benefit me? Every single day, I put my desires, my wants, and my will before God. I broke his heart everyday. I honestly believe that it hurts the Lord when we choose to go our own way despite the warnings and commands He has given.

Imagine your own child or someone you love with all of your being. You see where they are headed. You see the potential in them. And you tell them not to go down that road. But yet and still, that loved one ignores you and continues to walk down this path that leads to pain. That is heartbreaking. And it's heartbreaking for a God who is so in love with all of us.

The beauty in God, the reason that there is no one greater, is that He has this ability to simply forgive. He forgives and then loves on you - harder than He did before you even walked away.

I experienced that this weekend.