When The Kids Come Hom

I am reading an Ebook “How to Steal Home: How to Survive a Foreclosure” by Candice Reed and Heather Anderson. (Heather was one of my Confirmation students back in the early 80’s so I am interested in her story and wanted to read her book.)

She points out that for many “The American Dream has turned into a nightmare and they don’t know what to do.” But both Candice and Heather lost their homes and are now living very happy lives without a mortgage. Their book is an upbeat book about how a home is more than a house and that life can only get better if you seize the opportunity to turn things around.

Sounds like something like what the bible says,

“We know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose… I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present not the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.” Romans 8:28-39

When we are broken we need a lot of love.

III. The Brokenness of the Son – People who mess-up need a loving and forgiving father.

“But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and was filled with compassion for him; he ran to his son, threw his arms around him and kissed him.” Luke 15:20

The bible says that when he “came to his senses” he decided to go home. When he finally hit rock-bottom he realized that there was one place where they might give him another chance. When he finally made it over “fool’s hill,” he had had the sense to try to get his life back together.

The story tells us that God is like the loving father.

A. God is watching and waiting for us to come home.

Commentators have made much of the fact that the Father saw him coming home. While he was still a long way off, his father saw him coming home. Waiting and watching are characteristic of God’s love.

Remember when you trying to figure out the dating thing. You’re out with a girl that you really like but you are awkward… You accidently touch her hand when you are reaching for the popcorn. Or you stretch your arms and test the water to see if she lets you put your arm around her. Or you notice she is resting her hand on her leg and so you inch you hand closer and closer until your little fingers are just about touch… you know she knows where her little finger is and where your little finger is and so you in take a leap of faith and with your heart pounding you hook her pinky with your pinky and… then she just slaps the snot out of you. (Illustration idea from Jay Kesler sermon, Lost in Space, Psalm 8 and Luke 15, PreachingToday.com)

God knows you can’t coerce anyone to love you but unlike the girl of your dreams, he will not slap the snot our of you when you come home.

The father waits and then the father welcomes.