Luke 15:20 “So he returned home to his father. And while he was still a long way off, his father saw him coming. Filled with love and compassion, he ran to his son, embraced him, and kissed him.
This is the father’s response in the famous story of the Prodigal Son.
This is an eyewitness account from Jesus of how your Heavenly Father responds to you.
Who was Jesus telling this story to? It was the Jewish people, their leaders, and lawyers who were well versed in the moral and civil laws of Moses. They were well aware of the punishment and penalties for the stubborn and the rebellious – death by stoning! (Deuteronomy 21:18-21)
This stubborn and rebellious son had it coming for him under the judgment of the law.
But how surprised everyone must have been when they heard the response of the father as told by Jesus. This father didn’t respond with Moses’ law, but with the Heavenly Father’s grace.
John 1:17 says the law was given by Moses but grace and truth came by Jesus. The law was the Old Covenant and grace is the New Covenant. Jesus was revealing to Israel how the Heavenly Father would respond to the stubborn and the rebellious under His New Covenant – with grace and mercy.
Hebrews 8:12 reveals the Heavenly Father’s heart of grace:
“I will be merciful to their unrighteousness and their sin I will remember no more”.
Can you see the love of your Heavenly Father through this story? It says that the father saw his son coming home even when he was still a great way off. That’s because the father had been waiting and waiting for this son to return.
Likewise, all you have to do is to turn and take one step towards God, and He will come running toward you! He will embrace you with all His mercy, His love, and forgiveness. He “pours” His abundant grace upon you and “gifts” you with His righteousness! You don’t have to do anything, but to take it from Him.
This father ran towards his son and showed no condemnation toward him. He didn't rebuke him, correct him. tell him off or punish him – even though this son has wasted so much of the family inheritance.
This is the heart of your heavenly Father – he shows no condemnation. None at all.
Romans 8:1 Therefore there is now no condemnation to those in Christ Jesus.
My friend, you will receive no condemnation because the heart of the Heavenly Father is a heart of no condemnation. All you will receive is the mercy, love, and forgiveness of God and this is everything you need to begin a new life, in victory!