Luke 15:11-32 (KJV)
The Parable of the Lost Son
11 And he said, A certain man had two sons:
12 And the younger of them said to his father, Father, give me the portion of goods that falleth to me. And he divided unto them his living.
13 And not many days after the younger son gathered all together, and took his journey into a far country, and there wasted his substance with riotous living.
14 And when he had spent all, there arose a mighty famine in that land; and he began to be in want.
15 And he went and joined himself to a citizen of that country; and he sent him into his fields to feed swine.
16 And he would fain have filled his belly with the husks that the swine did eat: and no man gave unto him.
17 And when he came to himself, he said, How many hired servants of my father's have bread enough and to spare, and I perish with hunger!
18 I will arise and go to my father, and will say unto him, Father, I have sinned against heaven, and before thee,
19 And am no more worthy to be called thy son: make me as one of thy hired servants.
20 And he arose, and came to his father. But when he was yet a great way off, his father saw him, and had compassion, and ran, and fell on his neck, and kissed him.
21 And the son said unto him, Father, I have sinned against heaven, and in thy sight, and am no more worthy to be called thy son.
22 But the father said to his servants, Bring forth the best robe, and put it on him; and put a ring on his hand, and shoes on his feet:
23 And bring hither the fatted calf, and kill it; and let us eat, and be merry:
24 For this my son was dead, and is alive again; he was lost, and is found. And they began to be merry.
25 Now his elder son was in the field: and as he came and drew nigh to the house, he heard musick and dancing.
26 And he called one of the servants, and asked what these things meant.
27 And he said unto him, Thy brother is come; and thy father hath killed the fatted calf, because he hath received him safe and sound.
28 And he was angry, and would not go in: therefore came his father out, and intreated him.
29 And he answering said to his father, Lo, these many years do I serve thee, neither transgressed I at any time thy commandment: and yet thou never gavest me a kid, that I might make merry with my friends:
30 But as soon as this thy son was come, which hath devoured thy living with harlots, thou hast killed for him the fatted calf.
31 And he said unto him, Son, thou art ever with me, and all that I have is thine.
32 It was meet that we should make merry, and be glad: for this thy brother was dead, and is alive again; and was lost, and is found.
We may be prone to drift from God, and it is illustrated in the Parable of the Prodigal Son...The Prodigal Son left his Father, but the Father was always there for the son and we see this, when the son returns...
Faith sometimes comes, and it sometimes drifts from us...Faith sometimes is strong, and sometimes it is weak...The Spiritual journey in our lives are sometimes leaving like the younger son did, and then coming back and returning to God...And despite the leaving and the comings and goings of our faith, God is waiting, ready to LOVE us...Yes, He awaited for His lost son and LOVED him, even though he had left Him...
And while his youngest son was still a long way off, his father saw him and was filled with compassion for him; so he ran to his son, threw his arms around him, fell on his neck and kissed him...The father at this point did not even know why the young son was back or if the son was home to stay, yet the father's heart is filled with compassion...It is the father who fell on his son's neck and kissed him...It is the father running to the son, and not the other way around...Our Father pursues us even after we have ran away from Him...Our Forgiving God LOVES us, and it is illustrated here by Jesus in this story of faith and life, and of our comings and goings...Our faith may come and it may go, but the LOVE of God never leaves...