Have you ever felt unwelcome?
Perhaps rejected because of the way we look, or mistakes we have made. Or perhaps we didn't live up to others' expectations of us. For whatever reason, we no longer felt welcome in a certain place.
This morning I woke up with this song from David Crowder in my head.
Come out of sadness
From wherever you've been
Come broken hearted
Let rescue begin
Come find your mercy
Oh sinner come kneel
Earth has no sorrow
That heaven can't heal
Earth has no sorrow
That heaven can't heal
So lay down your burdens
Lay down your shame
All who are broken
Lift up your face
Oh wanderer come home
You're not too far
So lay down your hurt
Lay down your heart
Come as you are
This is a beautiful song that reflects the heart of God when we come back to Him.
In Luke 15. Jesus tells the story of a son who takes all his resources from his father and loses them all. The young man is clearly in the wrong, and he is not invited to be a part of anyone's family. He comes to his senses and just wants to be a servant in the house of his father. When he returns his father sees him coming.
"But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and was filled with compassion for him; he ran to his son, threw his arms around him and kissed him.
"The son said to him, 'Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son.'
"But the father said to his servants, 'Quick! Bring the best robe and put it on him. Put a ring on his finger and sandals on his feet. Bring the fattened calf and kill it. Let's have a feast and celebrate. For this son of mine was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.' So they began to celebrate." Luke 15:20-24 (NIV)
This is the welcome that is there for us all. There are times when we will still mess up, make mistakes. But we belong to a Father who will never give up on us, who cries out to us to come, just as we are.
I have a patch on my vest that says, "Blood makes you related, loyalty makes you family" and there is some truth to that among people on earth.
Those who truly are family do not have to be the ones we are related to by blood.
However, from Jesus' perspective, the patch would read, "Loyalty makes you related, my blood makes you family"
As the singer Michael Card wrote, "Could it be that He would really rather die than live without us?"
"Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light." Matthew 11:28-30 (NIV)
"Sing your praise to the Lord with the harp, with the harp and melodious song," - Psalm 98
