A scenario came to mind as I was meditating on the love of God for me. There is a scenario one who is the not the father or mother of a child when the child offends him/ her as the case may be. They may say, “I never want to see you again. Just get out of my sight” and they meant it. They can afford to throw away their relationship with such child without looking back because of course the child is not theirs. Its easy to discard him/her. You have not invested over such child neither do have you gone through any sacrificial experience to get or protect the child so, you don’t really care.
The second scenario is that of one who gave birth to that child when the child offends them and they are really angry with the child. Though they are angry with the child, they can never say get out of my life or out my sight I don’t want to see you again, never! No way. Even when they say get away, they are still the one who goes to such child and correct him/her explaining why they are angry and why he/she needs to repent. They also reinstate their love for such a child by speaking good words to such a child to encourage and let the child know that he/she is still loved. They cannot afford to lose him/her, she is precious to them, they have invested their life into him/her. They know that no matter what he is still theirs and he/she is their responsibility to ensure he comes back on track. They can’t trash him at the slightest provocation for no reason. He is forever loved.
These two scenarios show to me the fatherhood of God, he sent his only son, Jesus for the propitiation of my sins and he came to die for me so that I might have life and peace. He invested his all to give me hope and life. He gave his all for me to insure me eternally. Now if I make mistake, he is not like the first scenario of relationship that quickly discard me at any slightest provocation. He calls me loved, he forgives me and erase my sins without any iota of remains to show that I have sinned before. He still cares for me. He keeps running after me despite the pain, shame I have cost him. He said it is finished and that is what it is. Finished!
Not finished to be remembered later and used against me. Not finished to used as a tool for delay or punish me. Infact, he keeps running after me when I am living in the deceit of doubt, fear and sin. He seeks for every opportunity to own me back. The sacrifice had been made, the price had been paid, once for all he did it just to make me free eternally from the shackles of death and hell. He did it to liberate my heart from bondage. He said it is finished forever. No doubt, no fear, no loss, no shame, all finished because of his eternally relevant investment and sacrifice for me.
Therefore, when I see people (men and women of God) that have this same heart like God, I am attracted to them because I know how I will be treated and cared like he does for no reason will I be maltreated, come what may. They understand that they are not in that position that they are in because they have arrived but because they were chosen of God. They cannot even brag on their eloquence or any qualification of man. They have come to understand that all is of God and God alone, nothing else.
How do we know our family? For me this knowledge that came to me by reason of my meditation of God’s kind of family. A family is one who does not easily give up on you no matter what. They are resilient to ensure the plan of God for your life comes to fulfilment in your life. When you make mistakes, they are not quick to discard their relationship with you. They believe the best of you, their hope about you is not hinged on what you do/ say but on the love of God which surpass all understanding.
What does the love of the father do?
- He made you as he is (Image and likeness)
- He gave you all he had (Jesus)
- He is still giving you (Salvation)
- He wraps himself around you without any iota of irritation of your past (Preservation)
- He values you (Honour)
- You are not afraid he can discard any time soon (eternally relevant in Him)
- You are eternally secured in his love (Loved forever)
Now, take a look at you and begin to see clearly what he has done for you. You can remember how often you sin or offend him but his love has never departed from you. He is even the one running after you when you missed your way and bringing you back with peace and joy. You never know how important it is to look for a missing one out of hundred until you are the one missing or lost.
The parable of the prodigal son, his demand from his father, his loss, repentance and his welcoming party to bring him back expanciate the scenario explained earlier. The prodigal son’s life explained the reason why the father won’t give up any one. He took his inheritance squandered it on the altar of sin and famine came upon him and took hold of him such that he desired to eat the food of the swine, what a relegation? Condemnation is the key road to many innumerable sins of man. He tells a man that God do not want him and he cannot stand before God without guilt. It damages our understanding of God’s love and his will for us.
When the prodigal son repented and hoped that he will just be taken as a slave in his father’s house. Just as some Christians will say that “they are forgiven sinner”. That is wrong, when you were forgiven, your name was changed, your identity is now in him who forgave you and erased your trespasses. When you are forgiven, you are no more a sinner, you are now the righteousness of God in Christ Jesus. Therefore, you can no more take the identity of a sinner again as yours seeing that God had made you righteous. Indeed, it is excess love. God loves you so much that he gave his all for your sake.
