Good Father
Scripture Reading — Luke 15:11-24
“His father saw him and … ran to his son, threw his arms around him and kissed him.”
Luke 15:20
In this parable of Jesus we see a glimpse of God’s grace-filled love in the figure of the father.
But it may be hard to picture God the Father as a loving, caring parent if your own earthly father has been unloving or even abusive. Still, the love of the true Father can shine through. Jesus came to show us the Father’s perfect love and to fill us with new life that flows from the Father’s love. God, who has made each one of us, cares for us and wants the best life possible for us.
From the parable of the lost son, we gain a sense of how deeply our Father in heaven loves us. Even though the young son has insulted his father and has gone off to spend his money on wild living, the father still has compassion on him, runs out to meet him, and welcomes him back with no strings attached.
The father doesn’t even listen to his son’s offer to work as a hired man but reinstates him as his son, honors him with a feast, and says, “Let’s … celebrate. For this son of mine … was lost and is found.”
Those who experience the Father’s love have the opportunity to reflect that love in their own relationships. Children in our homes and communities need to know the love of the Father. In the strength of Christ, we can share it with them and model it for them.
Loving Father in heaven, help us to know your plentiful love and to share it with everyone around us. In Jesus, Amen.
About the author — Jang Ho Park
Jang Ho Park is a pastor in Tacoma, Washington. He and his wife, Jong Boon, have two sons.
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