Notes of Faith March 7, 2025

Back on the Right Path

And [the son] 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.

Luke 15:20

When hiking on a trail in the woods or a wilderness area, you may gradually realize that you are lost. At such a time there is only one thing to do: turn around and go back to the last place you were sure of. It is better to go back to the starting point and make a new, better path.

That is what the young man did in Jesus’ parable of the lost son (Luke 15:11-32). The son left the security of his father’s home to create his own life—an adventure that ended in disaster. Destitute and broken, he came to his senses and realized he was on the wrong path. So he returned home and found his father waiting to receive him. There was no judgment or criticism, only compassion and love. Jesus told this parable to illustrate God’s readiness to forgive.

If we ever find ourselves off of God’s path, our only solution is to return to Him. He waits for every child of His to return to His open arms of love.

Forgiveness is to be set loose from sins.

G. Campbell Morgan

The fallen man sins every day. We must return to our heavenly Father in repentance asking forgiveness, knowing that in Christ we have been forgiven for all sin. He is compassionate and loving, knows our every weakness and gives us strength to begin anew. Start each day with praise to God, confess your sin, seek His will for the day, and strive to be holy like God is holy. We will fail and fall often, but we have been made in His likeness to be like Him, therefore our heart’s pursuit should to be holy and without sin. That day is coming when God takes us to be with Himself. No more suffering because of sin! Please Lord, make it soon!

Pastor Dale