A Loving Father

Luke 15:11-24, "And he said, A certain man had two sons: 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. 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. And when he had spent all, there arose a mighty famine in that land; and he began to be in want. And he went and joined himself to a citizen of that country; and he sent him into his fields to feed swine. And he would fain have filled his belly with the husks that the swine did eat: and no man gave unto him. 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! I will arise and go to my father, and will say unto him, Father, I have sinned against heaven, and before thee, And am no more worthy to be called thy son: make me as one of thy hired servants. 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. 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. 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: And bring hither the fatted calf, and kill it; and let us eat, and be merry: For this my son was dead, and is alive again; he was lost, and is found. And they began to be merry."

The love of this father for his prodigal son is a great picture of our Heavenly Father's love for repentant sinners.

Notice verse 20, he "...kissed him..." This has the idea that he kept on kissing and kissing and kissing him. This father obviously had a great love for his wayward son.

This father loved his son even when in the far country where he was wasting his substance and life. However, the son did not experience this great love of his father until he had a change of heart and mind (he "...came to himself..."). When the son came home to the father in humility and repentance, his father's love was poured out upon him.

Again, the love of this father for his prodigal son is a great picture of our Heavenly Father's love for repentant sinners.

Notice, this father had...

1. An Observant Love. "...his father say him..." This word "saw" means to be watching; paying attention. Our Heavenly Father sees us. He observes us. Exodus 3:7, "And the LORD said, I have surely seen the affliction of my people which are in Egypt, and have heard their cry by reason of their taskmasters; for I know their sorrows;" 1Samuel 16:7, "But the LORD said unto Samuel, Look not on his countenance, or on the height of his stature; because I have refused him: for the LORD seeth not as man seeth; for man looketh on the outward appearance, but the LORD looketh on the heart." Psalms 33:13, "The LORD looketh from heaven; he beholdeth all the sons of men." Proverbs 15:3, "The eyes of the LORD are in every place, beholding the evil and the good." It is one thing to have a God that sees me, however, it is another thing to have a God that loves and and sees me. God sees you and me through the lens of His infinite love. This loving father did not turn his eyes away from his son and try to forget him, instead, he kept his eyes upon him.
   

2. An Expressed Love. "... fell on his neck, and kissed him." Some fathers sincerely love their family and their son, but, for whatever reason, do not express that love. Our Heavenly Father loves us dearly and expresses His love over and over throughout His Word, the Bible. It may seem, at times, that no one loves us, however, our Heavenly Father loves each of us dearly, and if we will allow Him, He will pour out His love upon us. When we are down in our hearts, we must remember that God loves us.
   

3. A Forgiving Love. Luke 15:21-22, "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. 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:" Before the son could even finish his confession, the father put it all in the past!
   

   In an instant, this prodigal sons was transformed into a forgiven son. At the moment of his confession there was complete acceptance and restoration. The father was not ashamed of his son, but rejoiced in his restoration. Our Heavenly Father has no "second class" children. We may not have been all we could have and should have been, but God loves us and fully accepts us. It is likely this son had to earn back his father's trust, but he now had his father's full love and acceptance.
   

4. A Rejoicing Love. Luke 15:24, "For this my son was dead, and is alive again; he was lost, and is found. And they began to be merry." The greatest joy to our Heavenly Father is when a sinner comes to salvation and when a prodigal child is restored. Luke 15:10, "Likewise, I say unto you, there is joy in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner that repenteth."