Peter Howard
The Prodigal Returns
But when he came to himself, he said, “How many of my father’s hired servants have bread enough and to spare, and I perish with hunger! I will arise and go to my father, and will say to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you, and I am no longer worthy to be called your son. Make me like one of your hired servants.’” Luke 15:17-19
When the younger son left home he was clothed in fine raiment and had great wealth. On his return he only has the remnants of his fine clothes. They are now torn and smelly, covered in dirt. Despite that his father ran to meet him with great joy and covered his son’s rags with his own robe. The son was given sandals to wear, and his father killed the fatted calf, and held a party so all could rejoice over his long looked for return.
In the same was God rejoices when any of his children return to Him. He is not embarrassed at where we have been or what we have done. Nothing we can do can separate us from the love of Jesus. He covers us with His robe of righteousness to remove the shame of our filthy rags. He gives us sandals to wear as we are sons, not servants. He puts the ring of authority on our finger to show that we belong to His family. We are children of the King.
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 tan and fell on this neck and kissed him. Luke 15:20