Faithful Fridays Woman’s Weekly Devotional – Running Back to God

 

 

 

“But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and was filled with compassion for him; he ran to his son,

threw his arms around him and kissed him.

 “The son said to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you.

I am no longer worthy to be called your son.’

 “But the father said to his servants, ‘Quick! Bring the best robe and put it on him.

Put a ring on his finger and sandals on his feet.

 Bring the fattened calf and kill it. Let’s have a feast and

celebrate.  For this son of mine was dead

and is alive again; he was lost and is found.’

So they began to celebrate. Luke 20-25

 

We have so many reasons and excuses for not calling or connecting with those we love. Sometimes it’s busyness, sometimes it’s distance, sometimes it’s because of hurt in the relationship. 

We forget, or put off calling that friend or loved one, and soon when the nudge to connect with them pops up, we feel awkward or too guilty to call after so long. 

This happens so often in human relationships, and it carries over into our relationship with God. 

Whatever our reason for stepping back from God, we know in our heart it is not a good enough reason, but we stay distracted from Him anyway.

Then, the thought comes into our mind that we should reconnect with God, we probably should start praying more, reading our bible more and just sit with God more. As soon as we have the prompting to come back to God, the accuser comes in. (so fast, we think it’s one train of thought) guilt, and condemnation pipe in and say

“you can’t just start where you left off, you can’t just run back to God after shutting Him out and falling into sin, you need to earn it back.”

We believe it. Even if we are desperate for a touch from God –  we deny it, because we feel we don’t deserve it. 

 

 I will set out and go back to my father and say to him: Father,

I have sinned against heaven and against you.

I am no longer worthy to be called your son; make me like one of your hired servants.’

So he got up and went to his father. Luke 15: 18-20

 

I am sitting here, in my favourite prayer place, writing this devotional. It has been a CRAZY CRAZY week, and to be honest, God has been moving slowly down the priority chain. I sat down to write a devotional, and was struck with all the reasons I shouldn’t come and pray, and all the reasons I shouldn’t write this devotional. 

Then my 6-year-old son burst through the door, interrupting my quiet time with the devil. He wants a hug. He hasn’t come to me for a snuggle in a long time. 

So I pushed him away and lectured him.

 

“You haven’t come to me for a snuggle in days and you expect me to just drop what I am doing and hug you?! NO WAY mister! Go do some chores and try me again tomorrow”

 

Obviously, you know I am being sarcastic, and I hope you see the parallel.

I didn’t push my son away, quite the opposite. I dropped my pen and paper, and held my son. Soaking in his love and responding to his need for me.

 

 

“But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and was filled with compassion for him;

he ran to his son, threw his arms around him and kissed him.  Luke 15:20

 

As I held him, images of the father, lifting up his garment and running to his prodigal son with open arms, came flooding into my mind. 

 

I was overwhelmed.

 

“you’ve returned to me! you’ve returned to me!” I could hear him cry out.

 

 

Come back to the Lord, nothing can separate you from His love for you. God’s love is supernatural, meaning it is beyond the limits of our human capacity. It is not subject or thwarted by our rejection.

 

 

For God IS love, and ANYTIME we go into His presence we are in the presence of HIS LOVE.

 

 

ALWAYS.

 

 

He does not change his character because we have been too busy to seek Him or have sinned against Him

 

Just return and let Him love you and give you the finest of His treasures.

 

 “But the father said to his servants, ‘Quick! Bring the best robe and put it on him. Put a ring on his finger and sandals on his feet.

 Bring the fattened calf and kill it. Let’s have a feast and celebrate.  

For this son of mine was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.’ So they began to celebrate. Luke 15:22-24

 

Faith Challenge: Drop what you are doing, close your eyes and picture yourself running into His arms. Let that be the beginning of your prayer time with God today. 

 

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Other Devotionals: Child Like Faith What it really means to become like a child.

 

 

5 thoughts on “Faithful Fridays Woman’s Weekly Devotional – Running Back to God”

  1. Amy says:

    A beautiful truth!

  2. Amanda says:

    Awesome real life application and parallels. Thank you!

    1. virtuouswomanx says:

      Thanks Amanda! God never leaves us the same!

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