My Father's Arms

Luke 15:20 "But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and was filled with compassion for him; he ran to his son, threw his arms around him and kissed him."

Most of us know or have heard about this scripture found in the book of Luke, and if we are born- again believers in Christ, we too have experienced the undeserved, overwhelming feeling of acceptance found in the Father's arms. Many of us have a personal story of trying things our own way, trying to "go it alone" and "do what we want to do, where we want to and when we want to....even with who we want to". Even though my personal life story doesn't have an addiction or a habitual sin that kept me from feeling like my Father's daughter, I still had a very pivotal moment in which I had to put aside my pride, put aside my selfishness and my determinations and hand it over to the Lord. What I have found is that this is not a one time thing that I must do.

Initially, it was comforting to know that because I have placed my trust in Him that I would go to heaven when I die. Assurance of my eternal destination was a real comfort for my soul in those early years as a believer. Now that I have walked with the Lord for a bit over 25 years, I look back on my life and am sooooo amazed at the times in my life when I have had to go to my Father and ask for forgiveness and in all manner of being humble say once again, "Father, I have sinned against You and against heaven and I am not worthy to be called your daughter." He is ever faithful to pick me up in His arms and hold me close to Himself and assure me once again that He loves me...100% and 100% of the time. It boggles my mind to think that the hands that hold the world, the hands that created the universe and placed each star in the sky....are the same hands that pick me up, draw me in and love me beyond words once again.

The past two years have brought me some of the most difficult and stretching moments in my life. I have grown in my faith, been challenged in my devotion, had to look up and trust Him more each day, seek first the Kingdom and His righteousness in ways I have never imagined, endure more than I thought I was capable of all the while relying on Him completely. He has provided, encouraged, inspired, loved, and cared more than I thought possible. I have trusted, believed, and grown more than I thought personally possible. Every step of the way, I can say with confidence that He is my Rock, my Salvation and my Saviour....yes, He is my Father. He waits patiently for me, is jealous for me and loves me beyond compare. My circumstances all fade when I look to Him and the cross in which He took the punishment for my sin.

Through the valley of the shadows of death that have surrounded me, He has comforted me. My heart is full of hope and I know that I know that I know that I KNOW.....His ways are better than my ways and His love for those I love is far greater than the love I have for them. My heart is light in the Lord as I seek each moment of each day to focus on Him and the bigger picture that only He can see.

At times, I had felt as though everything I held dear had been taken from me...one by one. First, my son comes to me and tells me news that most Christian parents are overtaken by. But the Lord prepared me in advance (a story in and of itself) and I have been able to love as unconditionally as a mother humanly can.

Next, the Lord asked me to stop leading the high school youth group. My heart was a mess, because this is a ministry that I held very dear to my heart.....but I obeyed and He reassured my heart that this was not a resignation....but rather a reassignment. His ways are higher than my ways, after all.

Then my daughter began her 15Th year, and she faced unimaginable changes and challenges. We are still in the process of dealing with choices made, and without the Lord guiding me, I know I would not have been able to endure this either.

Next, last March, my dad passed away. As my earthly father, my dad and I had faced many challenges of our own throughout our lives as father and daughter. I am so very thankful that the Lord gave me an obedient heart (for the most part) and asked me to deal with the hard issues between my dad and I. When my dad passed away, it was such a relief to be able to let him go without any hard feelings or unsolved issues between us. What a blessing that was from the Lord....for both of us.

Drawing closer to Him has helped me to deal with these issues and many, many more throughout these past few years. The testimony I have been able to gain from this is: He is faithful when I fully place my heart and life completely into His hands and allow Him to cradle me in His loving arms. Truly, I am a wayward daughter come home to the Father waiting with open arms! Grateful that He loves me as only He can. Thankful that He is faithful in all ways, always.