The Reason for Rejoicing

We often picture God at the end of a long road, arms crossed, waiting to see whether we'll finally get our act together. But in Jesus' most famous parable, that's not the posture of the father at all. While the son is “still a long way off,” the father runs to meet a child who squandered everything.

This week we sit with the scandal of that welcome. What does it mean that God moves toward us before we've rehearsed our apology? And how does being met by that kind of love change the way we come home, and the way we welcome others?