The Father's Heart Towards Sinners

Recently, I spent some time looking at sin and forgiveness, God's attitude towards sin, etc.  I was conjecturing that sin is primarily about relationship with God and intimacy with Him.  Afterwards I was thinking some more about the story of the wayward or prodigal son found in Luke 15.  I realized that it wasn't just relationship and intimacy with the Father that was restored upon the son's return home, but also his true identity.  In the story, the young man thought that he no longer qualified as a son, so was going to offer to be a servant in his Father's house.  However, the Father would not even allow him to think that way, and immediately called for his robe  and ring, both symbols of his identity as a son (Luke 15:21-22).

This is so significant - what we have done, or are even still doing, cannot cause us to lose our identity as sons and daughters of the Father!   In the Father's mind and heart He never stopped loving the son, never considered him to have lost his identity or relationship.  The Father still loved him, still considered him His son, still welcomed him back home, still extended to him His authority, and still welcomed him warmly back into intimate relationship.

The Father's statement about why He was throwing a party for the son who returned is very interesting.  He says, "...For this son of mine was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found." (Luke 15:24NIV).  He was speaking about the effect of the son's decisions on their relationship, not his attitude towards his son.  The son had caused all of the separation and relational loss, not the Father.  The Father never stopped looking for him, waiting for him, and longing for him because of His love for His son.  This is the Father's heart towards all of those who are walking a path of separation from Him, missing the opportunities for intimacy and relationship with Him.

I believe Jesus told this story to illuminate to us the Father's heart towards sinners.  The young man broke tons of laws, many if not all of the commandments, and yet the Father's heart towards the son was full of love, mercy and compassion.  There is no angry father waiting to punish the son for his sins, assigning him tons of penance or some subservient role or limited relationship as just punishment!  Jesus was giving us a clear picture of the Father's heart towards sinners.  Everything Jesus said and did was directly from the Father (John 12:49), so we know that the Father had Jesus tell this story to reveal His Heart to us.
 
This is what our Father in heaven is like; this is what His heart is like towards us, even if we are sinners.  He is waiting for us to return to Him, waiting with His arms open wide, ready to welcome us back into intimate relationship and restoration of our true identity as His son or daughter.  He is not angry at us or repulsed by our sins.  He desires more than anything for us to come into relationship with Him that we might experience His marvelously perfect will, and His overwhelming love.  What a great God we serve!