Lost to the Father

“Not long after that, the younger son got together all he had, set off for a distant country and there squandered his wealth in wild living.”

 (Luke 15:13 - NIV)

Each story in the parable told by Jesus and recorded in the gospel of Luke chapter 15, reveals a different aspect of what it really means to be lost to the Father. As we said earlier the focus of each story relates primarily to the loss sustained by the owner – who is, by inference, our heavenly Father. Yet it is of great importance to note that these stories reveal three different kinds of people amongst whom we may find a reflection of ourselves.

The sheep was lost to the shepherd through foolishness – it had wandered away, the coin was totally unconscious of its loss, one son was lost to his father through wilful rebellion while the other was lost through a form of religious observance. In each case the passionate longing and desire is for restoration of relationship with the One to whom we are lost. This is the Father's longing.

Perhaps we have wandered like the foolish sheep? It may be on the other hand that we have been unconscious of our loss to the Father. Perhaps we ive in rebellion towards Him or view him as a stern taskmaster to be feared and obeyed?

Irrespective of the condition in which you might find yourself, Father longs to restore us. He searches diligently for us. And, He waits, how he waits - longing to throw his arms around us, to draw us close to His heart and kiss us with His kiss of peace. This is the heart of the Father towards us – in our foolishness, unconsciousness, rebelliousness or even in our religious observance.