“And the son said to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and in your sight, and I am no longer worthy to be called your son.’ But the father said to his servants, ‘Bring out the best robe and put it on him, and put a ring on his hand and sandals on his feet. And bring the fatted calf here and kill it, and let us eat and make merry, for this my son was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.’ And they began to be merry.”  Luke 15:21-24

Begin to Be Merry!

I can just see it, can’t you? A true feast was about to take place to celebrate the return of the prodigal son. The father was genuinely thrilled to see his lost son—no questions asked.

I had a taste of this jubilance the other day as I arrived at a women’s gathering. A part of me dragged myself there; I even considered not going at all. I felt “knee high to a lizard’s belly” like my grandma used to say. Yes, I’d confessed to God my sin the day before, and received His forgiveness, yet, like David, I said, “My sin was ever before me.”

And then, out of the blue, a delightful woman of God saw me, flung open her arms and embraced me with enthusiasm and a jubilant cry, “Oh, you’re here!” Huh? She might as well have said, “Get the barbecue going, let’s party!”

I thought to myself, really? Didn’t she realize I was a sinner? Not just in general, but absolutely, without any doubt I HAD SINNED? Why, just the day before in fact. Didn’t she know what I’d said, how I’d behaved?

But here’s the deal: God already knows all this about us. And He’s got His arms wide open every single moment of every single day! It’s mostly ourselves that keeps us bound up in our thoughts of what an awful person we are (and yes, we can be plum awful). While there is a time and place for confessing our sins to one another (and God) so we may be healed, the father in this parable doesn’t hold this over his son’s head. His arms are ready to receive the repentant son, totally and without reservation. He didn’t even skip a beat to say, “Wait! What about all the money you squandered, you scoundrel?” Or, “So, how’d you like all that pig slop? (snicker, snicker).”

When my Christian sister embraced me that day, unbeknownst to her, I felt it, really felt it. It pierced my very core and warmed my cold, stony heart. I felt renewed, regenerated, re-loved! I was dead, and now alive! I was lost, and then I was found! In an instant, as tears stung at the corners of my eyes, I saw for myself just how much God loves, God forgives, and God accepts us all.

“Oh, Lord, help us to love with wild abandon like You do—the wayward souls, the ones who know they’ve sinned, and also the ones who don’t. Deliver us from self-condemnation and condemnation of others. Help us “begin to be merry” as we revel in Your great love! Amen!”