The Father’s Love

“A certain man had two sons And the younger of them said to his father, ‘Father, give me the portion of goods that falls to me’. So he divided to them his livelihood. And not many days after, the younger son gathered all together journeyed to a far country, and there wasted his possessions with prodigal living. But when he came to himself, he said, ‘How many of my father’s hired servants have bread enough and to spare, and I perish with hunger! I will arise and go to my father, and will say to him “Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you.” 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.” –Luke 15:11-13,17,18,20

God performs miracles in two different ways: (1) by sovereignly initiating a miracle at His own will and (2) in response to our faith, initiating a miracle at our will. For the next few days, we’ll see this principle clearly illustrated in Jesus’ story of the prodigal son.

This is the account of the younger of two sons, who left his father’s house to indulge in sin and wrongdoing, wasting his entire inheritance. Later he came to himself and realized the pleasures of sin weren’t worth the price he was paying. He decided he’d be better off back in his father’s house, even if only as a servant. But when this prodigal son returned home, he found his father waiting for him with open arms of love. And the father didn’t stop there. He sovereignly went out of his way to do things for him to prove that he loved him.(vv. 22-24.)

This is really a picture of our loving heavenly Father. Certainly He is always ready to welcome the person who has never known Him. But He also desires to welcome back into fellowship His repentant children who at one time walked away from Him. And often He will sovereignly perform miracles in their lives to show them just how much He loves them.

CONFESSION:

My Father’s compassion toward me moves Him to work on my behalf. I’m so grateful for those times when He works miracles in my life. But I know I can always depend on my Father to perform His Word in me as I walk by faith, because He loves me.

From: A Devotional for Divine Health Prescription for a Miracle, Mark Brazee, 1999