Seven Days with the Prodigal Father Sýnishorn

 From Homeward Bound to Homecoming 

  This is my favorite part of the story. As that young man dragged himself home, he was dreading the moment when he would come face-to-face with his father. He wasn’t sure how he would explain himself when he was asked what became of all the money he’d been given. Meanwhile, his father sat on the front porch with his eyes on the road. Every day, he sat there watching, wishing, waiting, hoping that one day his son would return. Finally, he saw the silhouette of his son appear on the horizon and that father could not contain himself. He got up and ran to welcome his son back! “...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 NASB).  

What a beautiful picture of reconciliation, acceptance, forgiveness, grace, and mercy. The father was not angry or judgmental. He was not bitter and vengeful. Instead, he was overflowing with compassion for the child he loved. He didn’t rebuke him, punish him, or send him to live with the servants. Every day as that young man had been sitting in the pigpen dreaming of home, his father had been sitting on the front porch dreaming of his son, waiting for him to come home.