THE FATHER WHO RUNS

THIS IS TABLE ROCK FELLOWSHIP – PASTOR BILL MUIR (DEVOTIONALS)

Reading: Luke 15:11-24

“¹¹ And he said, “There was a man who had two sons. ¹² And the younger of them said to his father, ‘Father, give me the share of property that is coming to me.’ And he divided his property between them. ¹³ Not many days later, the younger son gathered all he had and took a journey into a far country, and there he squandered his property in reckless living. ¹⁴ And when he had spent everything, a severe famine arose in that country, and he began to be in need. ¹⁵ So he went and hired himself out to^[a] one of the citizens of that country, who sent him into his fields to feed pigs. ¹⁶ And he was longing to be fed with the pods that the pigs ate, and no one gave him anything.

¹⁷ “But when he came to himself, he said, ‘How many of my father’s hired servants have more than enough bread, but I perish here with hunger! ¹⁸ I will arise and go to my father, and I will say to him, “Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you. ¹⁹ I am no longer worthy to be called your son. Treat me as one of your hired servants.”’ ²⁰ And he arose and came to his father. But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and felt compassion, and ran and embraced him and kissed him. ²¹ And the son said to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son.’^[b] 22 But the father said to his servants,^[c] ‘Bring quickly the best robe, and put it on him, and put a ring on his hand, and shoes on his feet. ²³ And bring the fattened calf and kill it, and let us eat and celebrate. ²⁴ For this my son was dead, and is alive again; he was lost, and is found.’ And they began to celebrate.”
 

Devotional: The father saw his son “while he was still a long way off.” This detail reveals everything about grace—God doesn’t wait for you to arrive cleaned up and presentable. He’s been watching, waiting, longing for your return. When the father runs toward his son covered in pig waste, he shows us that God’s love isn’t deterred by our mess. He embraces us in our shame, kisses us in our failure, and clothes us in righteousness we didn’t earn. Today, ask yourself: What am I hiding from God, believing it would make Him love me less? The truth is, nothing can. He’s already running toward you with compassion, not condemnation. Let yourself be embraced exactly as you are.
 

Bill Muir

OUR MISSION AS A CHURCH

“TO ENCOURAGE AND EQUIP EACH OTHER IN LOVE TO KNOW JESUS AND MAKE HIM KNOWN”

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