Day 103: Give Me a Break!

Today’s Scripture: Luke 15:16

Central Thought: If you need a break in life, the Father is waiting to give you one.

As parents, my husband and I set boundaries for our teenage children. As they grew closer to the age of eighteen, the boundaries expanded so they could experience making more decisions—and mistakes. When one of them would choose to step outside the boundaries, it was interesting to observe how many things would go wrong for that child. This caused them to run back to the safety of a loving home.

The prodigal squandered his assets, lived on the wild side, and found himself feeding pigs. Even then, today’s verse tells us, ‘no one gave him anything.” There is no mercy outside the boundaries. How often do we witness the plights of unbelievers go from bad to worse, spiraling downward, and there seems to be no help for them. The world does not hand out grace.

It did not take the prodigal long to realize where to go for love and help—home! There his father waited, looking and longing for his beloved son. The Father welcomed him back with a great celebration, not punishment and ‘I told you so.”

This picture of the Father should comfort every person who has wandered away. God is all about saving and redeeming people. The world will take everything you have and leave you with nothing. But God anxiously watches for his precious child to come home—waiting to celebrate.

Devotional Prayer: Lord, help me to remember that You are all about welcoming lost people home. Thank You for the celebration waiting for every sinner who repents.

Today’s Bible Reading: Joshua 5:1-7:15; Luke 15:1-32; Psalm 81:1-16; Proverbs 13:1