Welcome Home

Thomas Wolfe said "You can't go home again." And in the sense that he meant it, that is true. Going back to your hometown after awhile, to old friends and old places just isn't the same. But home is always special in the sense of our parents; they are always welcoming. When everyone else fails us, our father and mother always want us to feel welcomed. (Occasionally, a parent is not a good parent and does not follow the general rule stated here.) God is like the perfect parent. He is our Father. And He makes sure that we know that we are always welcome back home; no matter what we've done, what has happened, no matter what. Ezekiel 18 tells us this, as a message from the Father: 18:21+, "...if a wicked man turns from all his sins which he has committed, keeps all My statutes, and does what is lawful and right, he shall surely live; he shall not die. None of the transgressions which he has committed shall be remembered against him; because of the righteousness which he has done, he shall live." He also says that the converse if true; if a righteous man turns to a life of sin and stays there, he will not live (eternally). Then in verse 25, He says, "Yet you say, 'The way of the Lord is not fair.' Hear now, O house of Israel, is it not My way which is fair, and your ways which are not fair?" This is very interesting information direct from God. You might want to read all of the end of Ezekiel 18. In Luke 15, we are given much the same teaching. This whole chapter denotes the importance of one sinner repenting, how there is great rejoicing in heaven. A man has 100 sheep, but loses one, when the one is found there is great joy. And the prodigal son goes off and squanders everything, becomes as low as a pig, then goes home with no expectation but to be a servant. Instead of arriving in shame (which is what he deserved), he comes in to a hero's welcome. That is how glad our Father is to see one person straighten out his life.......even if a total mess has been made of it. What a great Father we have! Welcome home! Have a great week.