God’s Love Isn’t Fair

Devotional Reading: “So he returned home to his father. And while he was still a long way off, his father saw him coming. Filled with love and compassion, he ran to his son, embraced him, and kissed him. Luke 15:20 NLT

In today’s Scripture passage, we encounter a father who goes out of his way to show love to his rebellious child. In the parable, the father represents God. Even when we are stuck in a cycle of pursuing our own selfish desires, God reaches out to love us right where we are at.

The first brother (the prodigal son) asks his father for his inheritance early. In the time Jesus was telling this parable, an inheritance was something you received after your father died. To ask for it early was extremely selfish and rude. It was almost like saying you wished your father was dead so you could have his money.

Once the prodigal son receives the money, he wastes it all trying to have fun in ways that are not honoring to God. When he ends up starving because he is out of money, he returns home to his father. We might expect his father to turn the son away because of how rude and irresponsible the son has been. Or we might expect his father to begrudgingly allow the son to work for him as a servant, as the son asks.

This is often how we approach God. When we realize that we have been sinful, we come to Him full of shame, expecting Him to turn us away and hoping that at best He will allow us to live as one of His servants.

But God’s love is very surprising! Instead of turning the son away, the father runs to meet the son! He throws a big party to celebrate that the son is home. Jesus says this is how God loves us. When we come to Him in the midst of our sin and shame, He runs out to meet us and wraps us in His arms.

God’s love does not make any sense at all. We may even say that God’s love is not fair. It would be fair for God to turn us away because of the things we have done. But no matter how far away from Him we have run, no matter how sinful we have been, even if we have wasted everything He has given us on sinful living, He always gives us grace and His love will always make us better.

Rest in this truth!

Prayer and Confession
Thank you O Lord for this indescribable grace and overwhelming love. I rest in your grace and love for me, trusting that your grace and love to keep me.

Further Reading: Luke 15:11-24