Then Jesus said, “There was a man who had two sons. The younger of them said to his father, ‘Father, give me the share of the property that will belong to me.’ So he divided his property between them. A few days later the younger son gathered all he had and traveled to a distant country, and there he squandered his property in dissolute living. When he had spent everything, a severe famine took place throughout that country, and he began to be in need. So he went and hired himself out to one of the citizens of that country, who sent him to his fields to feed the pigs. He would gladly have filled himself with the pods that the pigs were eating; and no one gave him anything. But when he came to himself he said, ‘How many of my father’s hired hands have bread enough and to spare, but here I am dying of hunger! I will get up and go to my father, and I will say to him, “Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you; I am no longer worthy to be called your son; treat me like one of your hired hands.”’ So he set off and went to his father. But while he was still far off, his father saw him and was filled with compassion; he ran and put his arms around him and kissed him. Then the son said to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you; I am no longer worthy to be called your son.’ But the father said to his slaves, ‘Quickly, bring out a robe—the best one—and put it on him; put a ring on his finger and sandals on his feet. And get the fatted calf and kill it, and let us eat and celebrate; for this son of mine was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found!’ And they began to celebrate.Luke 15: 11-24
Dear Child,
I just wanted to write to you and tell you how much I love you and care for you. I know we don’t talk much, but I am desperately waiting for you to let me into your life. While I am waiting, I wanted to write you a love letter to try to put into words my love for you, even though words will never do my love justice. I love you with all of these words and more. My love for you is indescribable, unfathomable, and forever faithful. I love you so much, child, that the following paragraphs will only begin to explain my love for you.
I love you unconditionally. You can never do anything to make me love you more than I already do right now, and there is nothing you could do to make me love you less. The love I have for you is completely faithful and never changing. Just as 1 Corinthians 13 says, love is patient and kind and rejoices in truth. I love you so much more than you could ever fathom, and that love will never change. You did not earn my love, and you can never lose it.
Just like the story of the prodigal son, I am a father who always welcomes you home with loving arms. No matter what you have done or what you will do, I am always ready to welcome you home, and I am hopefully waiting and watching out the door until you return. When I see you on your way home, I will run out to greet you, wasting no time at all. I am desperate for your homecoming! When you are disobedient, I continue to love you. When you are ignoring me or angry with me or distracted from me, I continue to love you. I love you unconditionally.
I love you just for the sake of loving you. I created you so that I could love you. You and everything on the earth are mine, and I am yours. I made you with a purpose and a plan in mind, and I long desperately for you to seek out that purpose and follow that plan. When you stray from the plans I have for you, I meet you where you are and make a brand new plan. I want more than anything what’s best for you, my child, my creation. I desire for you to be freed by knowing that I have laid out a plan for your life. I want what is best for you, and ultimately what is best for my Kingdom. I have a great role planned for you in the Kingdom, and I am desperate for you to walk into that role.
I love you so much that I sent my son to die on the cross for you so that you may be redeemed! Walk out of captivity, child, for I have conquered death! I love you so much that I took your punishment and bore the weight of all sin in order to save you, my child, my children, from death and suffering. I do not want you to endure the pain of death, but to enjoy the freedom of life eternal! Why are you wallowing in depression and anxiety when I have already set you free? Life will have suffering, and there will be hardships, but I have overcome the world, and I have freed you from sin and death! I am begging you to stand at the for of the cross and realize the price I paid for you. Do you realize how much you are worth? Do you understand how desperately I want you to walk into the freedom I have for you? I have broken your chains! Be enslaved no more!
I love you so much more than you will ever know. This letter is just the start! I am desperate for you to let me into your life, to free you from what binds you, to fill your life with joy! My love for you is unchangeable, unimaginable, unbreakable, and I am extending all of this and more to you. Please let me in! I am standing on the porch waiting for you to run home to me! I know that you have disobeyed, and I know that you have sinned against me, but I am still waiting here for you. My arms are open to receive you whenever you are ready to come home. Please let me into your life, child, so that I can give you the freedom I want desperately to give you, and so that you can be the person I created you to be. I love you so much, child, and I am waiting here for you to love me, too.
Forever yours, and forever loving, God