Jesus welcomed the people, taught them about the Kingdom of God and healed those in need. Luke 9:11

Seeds of the Kingdom

His Father Saw Him

by Pam Smith

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 15:20, NKJV

God our Father sees us, even if we’re a great way off. When He sees us coming to Him it’s as if He runs towards us, just as the father did in the story that Jesus tells in Luke 15.

Every time my son visits me I’m watching and waiting for him. I love to see him and communicate with him. It’s one of my greatest delights. And when I don’t see him for a long time I feel sad. But this teaches me how God must feel when I’m too busy to spend precious time with Him and respond to His love.

He sees us when we worship Him. ‘For the eyes of the Lord search back and forth across the whole earth, looking for people whose hearts are perfect towards him, so that he can show his great power in helping them’ (2 Chronicles 16:9). Do you ever sing words in Church without thinking what they really mean? So often I find myself carried along singing the words of songs with everybody else but my heart is far away.

Often I can spend more time searching the Scriptures than actually connecting to Jesus. Yet He’s the Word of God, the Living Word. In His presence the Scripture brings a personal message for me. The Holy Spirit makes the Word come alive in my heart. Jesus said to the Jews, ‘You search the Scriptures for in them you think you have eternal life; and these are they which testify of Me, But you are not willing to come to Me that you may have life’ (John 5:39-40).

Jesus really wants us to understand the beauty of relationship. Think about the glorious relationship between the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit. There is perfect unity and perfect love in the Godhead.

Our Lord always initiates this relationship of love with His people and like the story of ‘the Lost Sheep’ He will always go after the one that’s lost, for His love knows no limits (Luke 15:1-7). God promises His people Israel, ‘I will seek that which was lost, and bring back that which was driven away, bind up the broken hearted and strengthen what was sick’ (Ezekiel 3:16).

Prayer: Thank You, Lord, that You found me, and brought me back to the fold. May I never forget where I came from and how much it cost You. Help me always to stay connected to You. In Jesus’ Name.

Pam Smith has a background in art and nursing, has a son and two daughters and six grandchildren. She has been a friend and helper of Ellel Ministries since l992, and has been involved with Healing Through Creativity Courses. As writer of the Shepherd Love Series, she has a passion for the comfort and encouragement that leads people towards enjoying abundant Life in Jesus.

 

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