✝ Daily Encouragement (2/12/25) "The Father's Relentless Love"
Published: Wed, 02/12/25
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(Click refresh or reload for current message) Wednesday, February 12, 2025  We
passed this
large farm
yesterday
north of New
Holland
Pennsylvania.
It is a beautiful setting but would be even more picturesque if draped in the brilliant white snowfall that fell overnight into the morning hours. Click on
photo to enlarge
"The Father's Relentless Love" Message summary: Today we consider a description of God's relentless (an adjective meaning unceasingly intense) love.
Listen
to our message
on your audio
player.
“And he
arose and came
to his father.
But while he
was still a
long way off,
his father saw
him and felt
compassion,
and ran and
embraced him
and kissed
him" (Luke
15:20).
This
week we have
been
considering
key points in
the Parable of
the Prodigal
Son. Monday's
message was
about the
younger son's
rebellion.
Yesterday we
considered his
confession and
repentance as
he was at rock
bottom. He
determined to
return to his
father in
hopes that,
although no
longer worthy
to be called
his son, he
could be
treated as one
of his hired
servants. So
"he
arose and came
to his
father".
The
text
continues,
“But
while he was
still a long
way off, his
father saw
him". This
strongly
suggests
the
father
was watching
and waiting
for his
return!
Despite the
younger son's
reckless
actions, the
father loved
him
unconditionally
and is willing
to forgive
him. This
portrays God's
boundless
grace and
willingness to
forgive
sinners who
repent, no
matter how far
they have
strayed.
"and felt
compassion”.
Psalm 103:13
states, "As
a father shows
compassion to
his children,
so the Lord
shows
compassion to
those who fear
him".
"'With
everlasting
love I will
have
compassion on
you,' says the
Lord, your
Redeemer"
(Isaiah 54:8).
A wonderful
verse
describing
Jesus uses
this same
wording. "When
he saw the
crowds, he had
compassion for
them, because
they were
harassed and
helpless, like
sheep without
a shepherd"
(Matthew
9:36).
"and
ran and
embraced him
and kissed
him". The
father didn't
stand at a
distance
wagging his
finger at his
rebel son.
Their
reconciliation
didn't begin
with the
father
belittling his
son by
gloating,
"See, I told
you so! I knew
you'd come
back!"
Instead
he ran to
greet him
inspiring a
song we have
both enjoyed
for many years
called "When
God Ran" (link
below).
The
description
instead
portrays that
of a
compassionate
father with
unconditional
love! It is
foremost a
description of
God's
relentless (an
adjective
meaning unceasingly
intense)
love. It's
also a
description of
how we all
want our
earthly
fathers to be.
And for all
the fathers
reading it's
an aspiration
for us that we
should have
such enduring
love for our
own children!
Stephen & Brooksyne Weber
Today's Suggested Music and Supplemental Resources
"When
God Ran"
Watch
on YouTube
Philips, Craig
and Dean
Here's
the entire
parable from Luke
15:11-32
Across
the road from
where we took
our lead photo
of the farm is
an old-order
Mennonite
meeting house.
On three sides
of the meeting
house there is
shelter for
the horses.
Does your
church provide
covered
parking? Do
deacons take
turns mucking
the stalls? Or
do families
take turns
because
whoever was on
duty this past
week still had
some cleaning
up to do!
Perhaps it's
the ice and
snow we've
been getting
that's
prevented the
designated
cleaner to
carry out his
responsibilities.
Would you
volunteer to
do the job in
your church,
should the
need arise!
We're thankful
for those who
scrub the
toilets in our
church, one of
Stephen's
first jobs
after we got
married.
Click
on photo to enlarge
Here's
a photo
alongside the
side old-order
Mennonite
meeting house.
A pump for
water on the
women's side
and farther
down the
parking lot it
the men's pump
(or should we
say drinking
fountains).
The women's
restrooms are
the small
white building
on the right.
The men's
restroom is
the same style
but is to the
right of where
I took the
photo. This
was likely in
a very rural
area but
suburban
sprawl is
nearby with a
housing
development in
the
background.
Click
on photo to enlarge
We
were over in
Blue Ball
eating at the
Shady Maple
Smorgasbord
with Stephen's
brother Pat
and his wife
Laverne. Pat's
a good reader
and I loaded
them down with
some books in
the Boscov's
bag.
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Personal
Mission
Statement:
"I am created
by God to
bring Him
glory. Through
God's Son
Jesus Christ I
have been
redeemed and
make it my
life's goal to
please the
Lord. My
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life is to
honor God
through my
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obedience and
prepare myself
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