And [the prodigal son] 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 15:20
Recommended Reading: Luke 15:3-7
John Newton’s hymn “Amazing Grace” contains these familiar words: “I once was lost, but now am found, was blind but now I see.” The reference to seeing is taken from the story of the blind man Jesus healed (John 9:25), whereas the reference to being found is taken from the parable of the prodigal son (Luke 15:24).
Jesus’ parable of the prodigal son is one of the most poignant in the four Gospels. It is a story of mercy, a story of an undeserving son who received the compassion of his father after abusing his privileges as a son. Though the son deserved the father’s judgment, he received the opposite: love, forgiveness, reconciliation, and reunion. Whenever judgment is replaced by mercy, there is a price to be paid if reunion is to be realized.
If there has been a break in one of your relationships with a friend or family member, consider paying the price of extending mercy. Such a reunion demonstrates what God has done for us.
Peace of conscience is nothing but the echo of pardoning mercy.
William Gurnall
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