God's light will always lead us right back to the path. No matter how long the detour has been, return is only a shortcut away. -Beth Moore
There are so many reasons why people walk away from God. For some, it's a slow and steady slide. For others, it's a quick and reactive decision. But regardless of the reason, God's arms are open and waiting for you to turn back to Him.
I have been there. I'm sure most of us have.
One of the most familiar parables that Jesus tells in the New Testament is that of The Prodigal Son (Luke 15). A man's youngest son asks for an early inheritance. He receives it, leaves home, wastes all the money, and ends up lonely, hungry, and trying to earn any kind of wages from feeding pigs in a field. He finally realizes how stupid he's been and decides to return home and to his father to ask for forgiveness and for work. His father sees him from a distance and, running to meet him, greets his son with love and open arms. Not only that, but he threw a celebration to welcome him back home.
"If you come a little way to Him, when you are "yet a great way off" He will run to meet you. I do not know that the prodigal saw his father, but his father saw him. The eyes of mercy are quicker than the eyes of repentance. Even the eyes of our faith is dim compared with the eye of God's love. He sees a sinner long before a sinner sees Him." -Charles Spurgeon
Here's the beauty of the love of our Father: no matter where you are or what you've done, no matter the reason you walked away, we have hope in that grace, mercy, forgiveness, healing, and restoration are waiting for us the moment we choose to return.
