March 30 2025 —
When a wayward child wanders far from home, how does a loving parent pursue them without driving them further away? One thing that parents do is let the child know that there is an ongoing open-door policy. The child knows they will always be welcomed back home. Likewise, when we wander from God, He always keeps His door open for us. But God doesn’t just passively wait for us to return. He lovingly pursues sinners in ways that make them long for home. During this 40-day Lenten journey to the cross and tomb, we are seeing the surprising strategies our heavenly Father uses for getting sinners back home, close to Him and the loving care He offers.
We assume people get what they deserve. We assume that what goes around comes around. We assume God helps those who help themselves. Those assumptions are false. God does not operate on the principle of merit but of grace. No one is beyond the reach of God’s grace. God never turns it off. At the entrance of God’s open door is not a Father looking to condemn us, but a Father who has eagerly longed for our return. When we do, He takes us in His loving arms and assures us we are still His child. When the weight of our sin makes us fearful of God’s condemnation, He reveals His grace yet again.