God's love is mentioned in the Bible many times, but what is the love of the heavenly father? It seems vague to us. On Father's Day, let's see His love through the parable of the Prodigal Son.
Broken-hearted love
In this parable, a father had two sons. The older son was always with the father even though he didn't understand the heart of the father. When the younger son returned home he didn't feel happy. When he was in the field he heard music and dancing. After one of the servants told him that his father was throwing a feast after the return of his brother, he became angry and confronted the father --- it can be seen that his heart never communed with his father's heart though he was always with him.
The younger son asked for the inheritance he "deserved" and set off for a distant country. The "separation" was a scorn and curse for the father. Despite his right to refuse the younger son, the father divided the share to him and saw him pack his luggage and travel far away. The unreasonable and cruel action must have broken the heart of the father, but he chose endurance. Because of love, he gave the younger son whathe wanted, acquiescing to his leave. He loved and respected the son, allowing him the right to freedom of choice, which was not an indulgence, but waiting in love.
Remembering love
After the younger son spent the inheritance, he longed to fill his stomach with the pods that the pigs were eating during a severe famine. He came to his senses and recalled his father's goodness. So he immediately got up and went to his father to repent his sins. It is written, "So he got up and went to his father. 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)
How did the father learn that his son would return on that day? We can imagine that he waited at the door every day with expectation since the younger son left. A scene drawn by someone shows the father seeing him when he is still a long way off. He can't help running to his son and greeting him. He is so happy that he is unaware of having lost one of his shoes. The father always remembers his children. Even if we sin or make mistakes, He still looks forward to our repentance, waiting for us to come back.
Merciful love
The younger son was extremely poor and wretched in the distant country, to the extent that he who was sent to feed pigs could not have the pods that the pigs ate. When he came back, he must have been very down and out. However, the father recognized him at first sight: "he ran to his son, threw his arms around him and kissed him."
From this we can conclude that the father often missed the son though the son left him. Instead of blame, he accepted and forgave the son with love, "kissing him".
Love with happiness
"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.' " (Luke 15:21-24)
The prodigal son was renewed by the father's love. The father gave things like "the best robe", "ring" and "sandals" freely again to the son. Moreover, he killed the fattened calf. The Scripture claims, "...There will be more rejoicing in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous persons who do not need to repent (Luke 15:7)." What the father did reveals God's heart to us. God keeps waiting for us to return to him to restore our identity as God's children and give us the glorious honor.
We should frequently check ourselves on whether or not we understand the heart of the Father or the kingdom of God though we have the father with us; whether we hold pridefully that we deserve the love of grace from the Father and feel dissatisfied with that. As the Bible says, "This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins." (1 John 4:10)
Translated By: Karen Luo
