Welcome Home, Son!

Welcome Home, Son! January, 2019

perhaps you'd like to listen to the podcast:
http://www.pastorwoman.com/…/a7105c9a-6b48-4cc4-b6c1-c1db48…

In the last two weeks, my dear Uncle Stoney, 96½ years of age

passed into Glory. He and my Aunt Ruth have been 'home' for me for years; indeed, 'Home' was where my Uncle Stoney and Aunt Ruth lived...their simple little farmhouse in Brentwood, California, where they raised five children, my cousins. Why was it HOME? It was all as it should be . . . priorities straight - love of God, love of family, love of the land, as they were lifelong farmers; they knew my name, were never surprised when I showed up, and were certainly always glad I came.

Last Tuesday, I watched in the pouring rain as several of his 32 great grandchildren put red rosebuds on my Uncle Stoney's casket, but of course, he wasn't there. He had gone home. I am certain the Lord said, "Welcome home, Son, and well done!" Heaven is our ultimate home, that is for sure. I love this song by Brian Littrell: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qSqywOCc_MM.
[Please take a moment to click that link; you won't be sorry.]

Welcome Home to the great love of your Father. You can trust it, roll around in it, be lavished by it! 
~>some of this next part may sound familiar, but I gotta
tell you something--someone I was gunning for--someone
who desperately needs to read this briefing--did not.
Maybe someone you know needs this message too! Forward it to him!

"Welcome home. . ." another heard those words as arms embraced him with a love like no other. Can you only imagine how the rebellious son felt

when his father held him and said in his ear, "Welcome home, Son" . . . ? If you don't grab your Bible, then click to read the full story: https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/…

In Luke 15, Jesus tells three simple stories (parables) of things lost that were found. The point of Jesus' parables was to illustrate a spiritual principle: in this case, the great love of the Father - that father who threw his arms around his son who had cut him to the core, the father who welcomed him home, ready to forgive him of all, just so he could have relationship with him.

Here in the story of the boy who returned home is you; aye, this is the story of me. Because whether we recognize it or not, we have a deep need to be accepted, loved, affirmed and welcomed home by our Father, whether we have been the responsible child or the rebellious one.

I think of my own dad. How I needed these things from him--affection, affirmation and unselfish, pure love. Somehow he did not have it to give. That did not take away or change my need for it.

Even as you, my dear friend, read this - you have long ago pushed down your own need for such a love as the one the father had for his son as he grabbed him, embraced him, welcomed him home and celebrated him. 
~maybe your dad was not there
~maybe he didn't/doesn't have a faith in God, which separates you
~maybe your father died much too early
~maybe your dad was emotionally 'not there'
--somewhat preoccupied, unavailable
~maybe your dad abused alcohol, or worse,
~maybe he abused you . . .
Whatever the reason for the void, it does not have to remain so.

Reach down within yourself and pull that need into the open, then recognize that very need is what our Father alone can fully meet.

Also in Luke 15, Jesus tells of the sheep herder who would leave the flock of 99 to go for the one lost sheep. He wasn't talking about sheep, Friends. Jesus was talking about your loving Father who values you so much he will go to any length to get you. The Father will never stop looking for you, but it is not just so he can count you in his number, it is so he can LOVE you, have relationship with you and radically transform your life. Someone could say that is a reckless kind of love - one that chases us down, fights til we're found; true that, here's the song: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Sc6SSHuZvQE
The song is not just pretty and popular, it captures what we crave . . . not a love we think we have to earn or prove ourselves to get, but one so freely given.

Reach out for the Father. ask him to show you his great love. He will show you through his Word, and he may show you through the uncommon love for another human being. Welcome Home to the great love of your Father. You can trust it, roll around in it, be lavished by it!

Christine Todd DiGiacomo

PastorWoman.com

~>Henri Nouwen's The Return of the Prodigal Son captures so much truth on this subject, springing off Rembrandt's painting by the same name in Russia's Hermitage