And he arose, and came to his father. But when he was yet a great way off, his father saw him, and had compassion, and ran, and fell on his neck, and kissed him. — Luke 15:20
Any parent will tell you that there are times when kids are playing that they may get hurt. I know on several occasions, when our son has been playing outside or in the house, he has tripped or fallen. It may lead to a skinned knee or hand. Other times, it’s just a scratch or two, or maybe just the disappointment of falling.
There are times that you realize from a distance that the child is truly not hurt. Perhaps you sit in a chair or stand nearby and wait for them to get to you. Other times, you realize something is wrong from a distance. Instead of waiting for them to get to you, you go to them.
The natural reaction, as soon as you get to them, is to embrace them. You want to console them and let them know it’s okay and you will do anything you can to make things alright. That’s the compassion and love of a parent. We even see this in the story of the prodigal son that Jesus shared.
I’m so glad that our Heavenly Father is the same way. There are many times in my life when I’ve been broken, discouraged, and battered by the storms of life. I turn to Him, and it seems like it is all I can do to make it.
But in those moments, our Heavenly Father sees us. He sees us battered, broken, and beaten by life, and He has compassion for us. He comes to where we are and it is in those moments you can feel as though you are being wrapped in His arms.
Maybe you feel broken, discouraged, and beaten by situations in life. Don’t look for help in the things of this world. Instead, start embracing the Father. He is full of compassion and wants to wrap His arms around you.
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