God loves sinners!

It's true. We tend to have the mindset that God loves us more when we are more righteous, when we don't make mistakes, and always walk in His will. Especially in the South, legalism and 'religion' can play a big part in our beliefs. We surely please God more when we walk in His will and the benefits to our lives are much greater,but we can't earn our way into Heaven by not sinning. God knew us before we were born and decided He loved us enough to let His son, Jesus, die a horrible death for us. We've heard about it and read it so many times that it's easy to be like, 'yeah, yeah, I know, He was crucified for my sins,' and go on with our lives.

But think about it from our 'modern' perspective. So let's say your boyfriend cheated on you with your best friend. Ouch. And she told everyone bad things about you and turned people against you. Then she was held at gunpoint and the only way to save her was if you took her place. Would you do it?

We are like that girl. We tell God we are His, then we cheat on Him and break His heart constantly. We ignore Him or put Him on our 'to do' list after Wal-Mart. Yet every single time we repent (ask for forgiveness and truly mean to flee from that sin) He takes us back and washes us clean with His son's blood.

At NewSpring's Christmas Eve service, Pastor Perry Noble reminded me of the story of the prodigal son. This kid had everything. A loving family, a big house, servants, tons of food, a job. But he didn't like his job. His family was getting on his nerves. We've all been there before. So Mr. Prodigal asks His father for his inheritance (before his Dad has even passed away! selfish much?), takes his money and goes to Europe to party. Surprise, surprise, he squanders it all. Then the economy in his new hometown takes a dive. The Bible says the former rich kid was so poor he had to get a job as a servant feeding pigs, when before he had servants who had servants to do that!

Why did he do all of this? Because his focus was on the wrong thing. He never realized what was important, what he had. I know I can identify with being stubborn and prideful and selfish. It took Mr. Prodigal reaching the very bottom before he realized it.

In Luke 15: 17 - 20 the Bible says, "When he came to his senses, he said, 'How many of my father's hired men have food to spare, and here I am starving to death! I will set out and go back to my father and say to him: Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son; make me like one of your hired men.' So he got up and went to his father." Mr. Prodigal wasn't just sorry he ran out of money, he understood how he needed to change and how he had broken his father's heart.

So Mr. Prodigal starts his long trek home. When I was younger I was mad that his Dad didn't punish him more. It wasn't fair that the other son had to stay at home and work while Mr. Prodigal got to party and have all that time to realize he needed to go home. And he was welcomed back just like that with open arms.

But now I realize that this is a picture of God's heart for us. Back in the old days when this story would've happened, what Mr. Prodigal did to his family was punishable by death. So his journey back to his family was a dangerous one for him, and anyone who welcomed him back. Not only did his father welcome him back, he ran to meet him where he was!!!

Coming back home required Mr. Prodigal to realize his wrongs, truly change his ways (he left the country!), give up his selfish living, and ask his father to forgive him. God wants to forgive us, to welcome us back with open arms, no matter how far we've strayed, what we've done, or how long we've been gone. Just like Mr. Prodigal was separated by countries,sin separates us from God. But, He knew what we would do before we were born. He still chose to love us and create each of us. Because you see, God has a heart for sinners. He's willing to meet us where we are, but he loves us too much to let us stay in that sin.