JANUARY 21, 2013
Open
Arms
Read: Luke 15:11-24
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
At
the funeral of former US First Lady Betty Ford, her son Steven said, “She was
the one with the love and the comfort, and she was the first one there to put
her
arms around you. Nineteen years ago when I went through my alcoholism, my
mother . . . gave me one of the greatest gifts, and that was how to
surrender to
God, and to accept the grace of God in my life. And truly in her
arms I felt like the
prodigal son coming home, and I felt God’s love through
her. And that was a good
gift.”
Jesus’
parable about a young man who asked for and squandered his inheritance
and then
in humiliation returned home leaves us amazed at his father’s response:
“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). Instead of a lecture or
punishment, the father expressed love and forgiveness by giving him a party.
Why?
Because “this my son was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is
found” (v.24).
Steven
Ford concluded his tribute with the words, “Thank you, Mom, for loving us,
loving your husband, loving us kids, loving the nation, with the heart of God.”
May
God enable us to open our arms to others, just as His are open wide to all
who
turn to Him.
Lord, help me be kind and forgiving—
Your loving forgiveness You’ve shown
To me for the sins I’ve committed;
Lord, grant me a love like Your own. —Anon.
Forgiven sinners know love and show love.
Source:
Our Daily Bread 2012
