The Day God Ran

When I think of God, I see Him as this way cool Deity that never gets excited, never does anything rash or hurried, and never perspires. I mean He is God, right? He is always not just IN control but under control! But get this verse in Luke 15: "but when he was a great way off, his father saw him, and had compassion, and RAN...."

This is from the story of the Prodigal Son. Jesus shows us the heart and action of the Father when one of his sons(or daughters) turns toward him to come back home. I can see an aged man, because he is a father, doing something he doesn't ordinarily do--running! Picking up each leg and making stride, panting breathlessly but determined to reach this wayward child of love. I see the look on his face--pained in one sense because running at a furious pace hurts. But beaming with joy-"my son was dead, and is alive again!" I see the embrace in all of its passion and power. A weak and defeated son, guilty and ashamed because of where he has been and what he has done. But being held in the arms of love, forgiveness, and mercy. Tears flow and wash away the sting of the sin, kisses are given soothing the shame of past failure and regret.

You see this is MY story--for I am that son, but it too is my Father's story! The day He ran to me when I thought there was no way back to Him. If I heard the voice of the accuser once I heard it one thousand times, "there is NO way back for YOU, you have gone too far." In my prodigal condition this voice came AFTER I had turned BACK toward my father's house. Yes I was trying, yes I had sinned, yes I had failed miserably. It was all true and the devil would not let me forget it.

In my turning, I was getting wearier and wearier as the guilt and condemnation mounted. But in a moment of inspiration, and Divine revelation I saw Him! It was not about me getting "back" it was Him running to me, falling on me in love and complete forgiveness. I saw the panting breath of love as He fell on me with his great power to save, power to heal, and power to restore. YES! THE DAY GOD RAN--HE RAN TO ME! He does not take our plight lightly. He does not passively wait--He is active, He is MOVING TOWARD YOU!

Now everywhere I go I see God RUNNING. He runs to help the weak, the needy, and the hurting. Now everywhere I go, it has become my mission to show people a RUNNING God who can't wait to help you!

Recently I was privileged to share at City of Life Church in St.Cloud Florida, where my daughter serves on staff. COL is an awesome church with tremendous pastors, Jeff and Amy Smith, and founding pastors Gary and Janis Smith. Their midweek service is called OASIS. Invited to share the Lord put it on my heart just to share my personal testimony with them. This church had a profound impact on my restoration but the details are for another blog.

What I want to share with you is how AWESOME God is in the after story. After preaching a sweet little Latino mother came up to me as I was leaving the sanctuary. She was in tears and gave me a big hug and thanked me for sharing. She then proceeded to tell me that as I was preaching tears began to flow from her eyes as she thought about her own prodigal son. She said she so wished he would have been there to hear the message because it was so similar to his own experience. She repeated at least twice how that while I was preaching she was wishing he had been there. I hugged her and said, Mom, keep praying and the Lord will bring him home." She said, "No, you don't understand. I cried hot tears while you preached and so longed for his salvation. Then you stopped and gave the invitation. After bowing my head in prayer you invited those who raised there hands to come forward. When I looked up there was my son in the altar!"

We both were crying then! You see what happens when God ran? He ran through me right to another and to another and to another! I'm so glad He ran. Now I am running with Him--trying to keep up. Sometimes I am breathless, sometimes I am tired, but like Forest Gump--I am runnnninnnn!

Whatever lie the enemy is telling you about you and/or to you. Know this! God is running TOWARD you and FOR you--you CAN NOT LOSE!!!!!!! This one thing is sure--once the Father sets His eyes on you--you are HIS! He is YOURS! You WILL make it!