A Magnolia's Heart Beats

Heather, at Mumblings of a Mommy “Monk”, is hosting In "Other" Words Tuesdays today. The quote she chose is this:

“I do not know that the prodigal saw his father, but his father saw him. The eyes of mercy are quicker than the eyes of repentance. Even the eyes of our faith is dim compared with the eye of God’s love. He sees a sinner long before a sinner sees Him.” C.H. Spurgeon (Sermon based upon the Prodigal Son)

I love the story of the Prodigal Son. It's found here in Luke 15:11-32. Take a quick read of it to refresh your heart of this precious story. In a nutshell, the son runs away from home, taking an early inheritance, squanders it all, decides to come home and ask if he can at least be a servant in his father's home, his father forgives him, hosts a party in his honor, and his brother is angry.

When I saw the quote Heather picked, though, rather than running away, I immediately thought of how the father depicted in Jesus' parable was looking for his son. The parable doesn't say for how long the son was gone, but the father kept vigil, watching for his son. v. 20 says, "..."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. "

I believe with all my heart that he knew his son would be returning home. The father faithfully watched for his son, day after day, month after month, perhaps year after year, waiting to extend mercy to him.

What I especially love is that his father saw his beloved son before the son saw his father. Don't you just love that?

When we are living in our sin, like the Prodigal Son, it's hard for us to see the Father, standing just as that father of old stood. Sin not only dims the faith in our eyes and our hearts, but it tramples the branches that bore the fruit of the Spirit for Him.

The God of all mercy, like that dear sweet father in the parable, sees us while we are living in our sin, waiting for us to come to Him. Constantly and faithfully He watches for us, longing for us to return, ready to clean us up with grace and eagerly waiting for us to repent and begin living our lives for Him again. Ready to plant new seeds for the fruit of the Spirit He knows we will bear. Eager to receive us back into His fold.

And the beautiful thing is that He sees us before we even see Him. He knows we are coming home. He knows what mistakes we'll make along the way of life, and trusts that each time we fail, we come running back into His arms. Arms of mercy and compassion, arms of forgiveness and strength.

"For you were like sheep going astray, but now you have returned to the Shepherd and Overseer of your souls." - 1 Peter 2:25