If your prodigal child or spouse came to your door today, what sort of welcome would you give him or her? Would you throw your arms wide and draw him in? Or angrily slam the door in his or her face? Maybe you lay awake at night wondering and planning for that moment. There's a story in the Bible about a father who experienced this and his example prepares you for that reunion.

What Does God Say?

Luke 15:20-24 describes it this way: "And he [the prodigal] arose and came to his father. But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and felt compassion, and ran and embraced him and kissed him. And the son said to him, 'Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son.' But the father said to his servants, 'Bring quickly the best robe, and put it on him, and put a ring on his hand, and shoes on his feet. And bring the fattened calf and kill it, and let us eat and celebrate. For this my son was dead, and is alive again; he was lost, and is found.' And they began to celebrate" (ESV).

Probably not the welcome this son expected! But it made perfect sense to the father. He was so happy to see his son that he ran to him, hugged him like crazy then threw a party!

What's significant is what you don't see: No "I told you so," no conditions for return, no reluctance or skepticism about the son's motivations, no half-hearted acceptance, no reviewing the laundry list of wrongs or hurts inflicted by the prodigal. No, this father was only interested in restoring his relationship with his son. He wanted to let his love show. And it did--in a big way!

There are three keys to this welcome. The first is forgiveness; you see it not in words but in actions. The father saw him; he had compassion; he ran and embraced him (Luke 15:20). He responded positively to his son's confession of sin and guilt (Luke 15:21-22). No bargaining, no added punishment. No "tough love" used to mask a hurt and unforgiving heart. This dad's heart was overflowing with forgiveness.

The second is joy: The father is filled with joy, enough to run, hug, kiss, kill the fatted calf and throw a party. He is generous in his joy and eager to let everyone share in it (Luke 15:22-24).

The third key is restoration. The most the son hoped for was the meager wages of a day laborer. "I am no longer worthy to be called your son. Treat me as one of your hired servants" (Luke 15:19, ESV). The father, however, didn't settle for his son's expectations; he did what his father's heart wanted to do and restored his prodigal to full status. "For this my son was dead, and is alive again; he was lost, and is found" (Luke 15:24, ESV).

My Thoughts

Forgiveness may be the hardest part because a prodigal inflicts a lot of hurt and does a lot of damage. Forgiving your prodigal, even before he or she walks in the door makes this warm welcome possible. Look through these verses and consider a few questions:
Ephesians 4:31-32

What do you need to get rid of as you learn to forgive?

What should replace those things?

Colossians 3:12

Why are we to forgive others?

What goes along with forgiveness?

Psalm 103:8-12

Who is our model for how to forgive?

What characteristics accompany forgiveness?

Once we've forgiven, how should we view the past sins?

My Part

So, where are you with the prodigal in your life? Still waiting? Finding it hard to forgive? Or just ready to explode with love the moment you see him or her? Now is the time to ask God to search and prepare your heart so you can let your love show.

Ask God to help you forgive...even now, even before that prodigal is broken or coming home.

Ask God to give you joy; to make you truly glad to see your prodigal and to give all you can to celebrate his or her return.

Pray for God's strength to restore this broken relationship. You can't ignore the hurt or act like nothing happened, but you don't have to hold onto the past. Work on being like this father who focused on what was good--"my son is home"--instead of reliving what was bad--rebellion, past sins, wasted years, etc.

And when the time comes, let your love show as you welcome your prodigal home with open arms just as God our Father welcomes us home.