0300. The Welcome Home

The Welcome Home

"The father saw him, and had compassion, and ran, and fell on his neck, and kissed him.

"Bring forth the best robe, and put it on him; and put a ring on his hand, and shoes on his feet; and bring hither the fatted calf, and let us kill it; and let us eat, and be merry; for this my son was dead, but he is alive again; he was lost, but is found. And they began to make merry" (Luk_15:20-24).

This was a grand welcome home.

1. It was tender: "He had compassion on him."

2. It was without delay: "The father ran."

3. It was full of love: "He kissed him."

4. It was genuine: "He fell on his neck."

5. It was restorative: "Bring forth the best robe and put it on him" and, "Shoes for his feet."

6. It was with feastings: "Kill the fatted calf."

7. It was with gladness: "Let us make merry."

8. It was parental: "This, my son."

What a wonderful reception was this! Nowhere was there a shadow to mar the home-coming of the son. There was no expression of suspicion as to the motives that prompted the return; there was nothing to manifest the least unwillingness, on the part of the father, to welcome back his boy.

Think of it! The father ran. Not so the son. The son was dragging one weary foot after the other, wondering if there would be a welcome home; wondering if he dared return in all his plight. God is slow in His wrath, but hurried in His grace. He ran!

He fell on his neck! No waiting until the son was washed and clothed; he just fell upon him as he was, dirt and all, and kissed him. And so it is written: "Unto Him Who loved us, and washed us." Loved us "while we were yet sinners;" and then, washed us from our sins.

The robe with which he clothed the ragged form of his son, is the picture of "God’s righteousness." With this spotless white, He robes all those who come by faith to Him.

The ring is the emblem of a pure and an endless love.

The feastings remind us of the happy days ahead–of the marriage supper of the Lamb, and the "happy are they that are called."

"It is just like Him, to take our sins away;

It is just like Him, to keep me day by day;

It is just like Jesus, all along the way,

It is just like His great love."

Just remember one thing–that all of this, the running and the clothing and the ring and the fatted calf and the making merry, was because the son came home, saying: "I have sinned," and because he came home saying: "I am not worthy to be called thy son."

Autor: R.E. NEIGHBOUR