Devotional Song: … GO TO THIS LINK … Please take the time to take in a video of Alan Jackson singing the old hymn … Softly and Tenderly, expressing the desire our prodigal Father for all sinners to come home … And THEN ON TO THIS LINK to hear the a poignant song by Chris Rice, singing Come To Jesus also calling for all who need God’s prodigal love to come to our Savior.
Highlight Passage: Luke 15:20 [NKJV] …
20 “And he arose and came to his father. But when he was still a great way off, his father saw him and had compassion, and ran and fell on his neck and kissed him.
… Jesus tells of a Father’s “prodigal” love, waiting and watching for His “prodigal” son. ============
Highlight Context – Luke 15:11-24 [NKJV] … USE THIS LINK …
… Jesus’ story of the “PRODIGAL.”
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Reference Passage #1 … Lamentations 3: 22-23 [NKJV] … USE THIS LINK …
… Our Father’s love is “prodigal,” … merciful and new every morning … always faithful.
Reference Passage #2 … Hebrews 13: 5b [NKJV] …
5 … be content with such things as you have. For He Himself has said, “I will never leave you nor forsake you.” [also Joshua 1:5]
… God’s prodigal promise to all believers …
My Journal for Today: Today’s Our Daily Bread author, James Banks, author of the book, Prayers for Prodigal, uses the Bible story which inspired his book from Luke 15 to submit this ODB entry.
We often dub that parable in Luke 15 as the story Jesus tells of the “prodigal son,” don’t we? But really it might even be better labeled the parable about the “prodigal Father.” … Why? Because “prodigal” as an adjective mean “lavish;” and most certainly the boy went off and lived lavishly in sin. But think about the Father, … waiting patiently and longingly for His boy to return; and when he did, with repentance, the Father lavished His love on Him, running to him, hugging him, and then giving him a lavish welcome home banquet.
And I so identify with that popular NT Bible story; because, for so many years of my life, I was far off from my God, lavishly living a Doctor Jeckyl - Mr. Hyde life of sin; but at age 39 I came back home to my loving Lord; and He lavished His love and mercy and grace on me. He truly was my “prodigal” Father.
So, were are you, my friend? Are you in a loving place right now with our “prodigal” Lord? Or do you need to do what Alan Jackson and Chris Rice sing (in the linked songs) … and come running back to Jesus? If so, come home, my friend! He’ll be waiting for you; and He’ll run to you with lavish love , sharing His mercy and grace with you.
My Prayer Today: Heavenly Father, … Lord, … thank You for being my “prodigal” Father. Amen
Blogger Note: Everyday during this year, my daily devotional blogs are influenced by the reading and study of the online devotional blog entitled Our Daily Bread, distributed online via email by RBC Ministries. If you GO TO THIS LINK on the date of my blog, you can read/study the ODB blogs; or you can subscribe to the blog via email at that site.
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