The Bottom Line, Ministries Christian News, Articles, & Poetry 
There are dozens of stories of dogs and cats going hundreds of miles to return to their masters. According to the Guinness Book of World Records,“The farthest distance that a lost pet dog has found his way home occurred in 1979 when a Jimpa, a Labrador/boxer cross, turned up at his old home in Pimpinio, Victoria, Australia, after walking 3/218 km (2,000 miles) across Australia. This and many other stories end in the pet’s master rejoicing at once again seeing their lost and wandering pet. This brought to mind a parable in the Bible when people wander away from God, The Master.
The story of the Prodigal Son in Luke 15:11-32 is one of a son wandering away from his father. It is a parable which illustrates a moral or spiritual lesson. The parable goes like this: The father divided his property between his two sons and gave them each a share of their inheritance. One of his sons “took a journey into a far country, and there he squandered his property in reckless living. And when he had spent everything, a severe famine arose…and he began to be in need” with no one to help him. He decided to return to his father with a repentant and humble heart, planning to say to him, “Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son.” He did not know how his father would react. But Luke 15:20 says, “While he still a long way off, his father saw him and felt compassion, and ran and embraced him.” He even gave a party to celebrate his son’s return!
This is how it is with our Heavenly Father when we wander far away from God and get involved in ungodly living. When we return to him with a humble and repentant heart, and feel unworthy of God’s love, he welcomes us with open arms. Romans 5:8 says, ”God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” “All we like sheep have astray. We have turned – every one- to his own way, and the Lord has laid on him the iniquity of us all”(Isaiah 53:6), but “All that the Father gives me will come to me, and whoever comes to me, I will never cast out”(John 6:37).
Just like the father gave a big celebration upon his son’s return, Jesus says in Luke 15:7, “I tell you, there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous persons who need no repentance.”
No matter what you have been through, or how far you have wandered away from God, your Master will have compassion on you and welcome you back into his presence.
Do you want to turn to the Master for the first time?
John 1:12 says, “To all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God, who were born not of blood nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.” God will accept you as you are, and heaven will rejoice over you!
