Returning Home

3/19/2023

Returning Home

When my oldest son graduated from high school, he decided to go into the Air Force Reserves. His father and I were so proud of him, I was also frightened. I didn’t know what to expect. Would he get hurt in basic training? Would he able to complete basic training without any problems? All sorts of things were running through my head.

The day came for him to leave for basic training. I remember taking him to the airport and sitting with him as long as I could. I didn’t want to see him go. So, I didn’t watch him fade into the crowd.

Well, when he finally was able to call, I was thrilled. He also sent us stationary and his address so we could write to him. He gave us all the information we needed so we would be able to come see him when he graduated. I was never so happy to see someone in my life than when I saw him in his dress blues at graduation!

After graduation, he couldn’t come home just yet. He was sent to another school to help him learn the trade he decided pursue. It would be another month or so before I would see him again.

His then girlfriend picked him up at the airport and I was to go meet them at the church she attended at the time. I remember walking in and seeing my son. He had his back to the door. He was dressed in his Air Force fatigues. When he turned around, I ran and grabbed him like I had not seen him in years. We held each other for a long time. There were tears shed, by both us, I think, but I know my eyes were flowing with happy tears from seeing my son who had been away for what, to me, seemed like years.

I know of another parent who shed tears over his son returning home.

If you read Luke 15, you will see what I am talking about…the prodigal son. The son talked his dad into giving him his inheritance early. But all the young man did with the money was play the big shot with so-called friends. He threw party after party until the money dried up. Then nobody wanted to be his friend.

He had to get a job just so he could eat. His job was to feed the pigs. For a Jew, that was the dirtiest job to have. But he did it.

After a while, he decided that the servants that worked for his dad had it better than he did. He thought that if he got back home, because of the way he had treated his dad, that maybe, just maybe, dad would let him become one of the servants. So, the young man headed home.

It seemed that Dad kept watch for the son, because the Bible tells us, “He saw him a far way off”. You know that dad knew his son’s walk and knew it was him. He ran to greet his son, and when he reached the young man, “he fell on his neck and kissed him.” I am sure there were tears shed as well, tears of joy and relief from the dad, and tears of shame and repentance from the son.

GOD does the same thing. When one of His children wander away, He seeks them, watches for them. Scripture says in Matthew 18, that the shepherd rejoices over a sheep who returns to the fold. Can’t you just picture it. One of GOD's children goes astray. This “child” realizes the sin he or she has committed, repents, and returns to GOD. GOD’s reaction is to love on His returned child. I can see Him shedding tears of joy over that child. And that child who returns home feels the love of the Father so fully, and is washed in those tears of joy and forgiveness of the Father. What a beautiful picture!!!