“And he arose and came to his father. But when he was still a great way off, his father saw him and had compassion, and ran and fell on his neck and kissed him. And the son said to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and in your sight, and am no longer worthy to be called your son.’

Luke 15:20-21(NKJV)

 

The prodigal son in the parable was always a son, even while he was estranged from his father. The father had never loved him less or treated him unfairly—but because the son was unaware of his father's affections for him, he could never fully enjoy and reciprocate the relationship.

Many people struggle to believe that God loves them.

They are unable to fully grasp everything that God has to offer through Christ’s finished work on the cross because they cannot comprehend the breadth, length, height, and depth of God's love in Christ (Ephesians 3:18). This is why it is critical to bear witness to God's love for everyone so that they can experience His love for themselves and be reconciled to Him.

When we fail to recognise God's love for the lost and those who have gone astray, we are prone to becoming judgemental and condescending towards others. Christians are recognised for what they are against rather than what they are for as a result of this attitude and mentality. This is why people have a negative and cynical attitude towards Christians.

If we truly think God is love and that we have His unfailing love dwelling in us, we must reflect His love in how we speak and treat others. Consider what will happen if we make God's heart for the lost the primary motivation for our existence. Consider what will happen if we have a strong desire for people to want God in their lives. Imagine what will happen when these people experience God's all-encompassing love, acceptance, and forgiveness for themselves.

God's amazing grace saves everyone and by receiving redemption through Jesus Christ, everyone gets to discover and live out who they really are to God. This is critical because when they find out they were once lost but now found in Christ—there is no room for guilt and condemnation to rob them of their righteous standing before the Father.

As you receive God's hospitality of grace and love, learn to bring God's hospitality of grace and love to a broken, fearful, and lonely world.