ICS Daily Devotions
The Father’s Love
1 John 4:8 He who does not love does not know God, for God is love.
The way of our earthly fathers will often affect the way we perceive our heavenly Father. Scripture says that God is love. Perhaps your earthly father was anything but loving or perhaps you never knew him. Nonetheless, it is important for us to understand the heart of our heavenly Father and His love for us.
One of the best passages to help us do that is the story of the prodigal son in Luke 15:11-32. The son had the audacity to ask for his inheritance before the death of the father. Although he received what he asked for, he squandered it all away and was degraded to feeding pigs and starving.
Meanwhile, his father was looking out for him to return home on a daily basis even though his son had wished for his death. One day, the son decided to return home to ask to be a servant in his father’s house because even though he no longer deserved to be son, there would at least be food. The father was waiting and looking out for him as he spotted his son walking home. The thing with parents is that they can always recognise their children even by the way they walk.
As the son walked through the village to his home, he risked the abuse and stoning of the villagers for being a prodigal son. However, his father knew that, so seeing his son from afar, he did the most culturally unacceptable thing by lifting up his gown and running towards the son.
The son repented, acknowledged his foolishness and asked to be a servant, while his father embraced and kissed him. It was a public display of his love to the villagers that the son had been forgiven, grace extended and mercy shown. The father was even ready to shield his son from the stones! The servants were told to bring the best robe and signet ring for the son. His sonship and access to everything that goes with the signet ring was restored.
This story is truly a lesson on God’s grace, His unconditional love for us and our sonship that will never change. Just like the prodigal son, we’ve been given the position of a son and the robe of righteousness in the Kingdom of God. Such is the Father’s love for us.
Sermon Series: Father’s Day 2019
