March 16 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 will see the surprising strategies our heavenly Father uses for getting sinners back home, close to Him and the loving care He offers.  

The door to God and the glory he has prepared for us does stand wide open. However, He has mapped out a very specific pathway to that door. It is not an easy one. As it did with Jesus, this route takes us through opposition, suffering, and even death. While our human nature may cause us to want to take a detour around these things, Jesus’ own life shows us that no detour is allowed. His cross came before His crown. The same path lies ahead of us. However, at the end of it, through the open door, we are offered a reward far superior to anything the world can offer.