Thursday, December 15, 2011

God's Mercy to Returning Prodigals

If you haven't read The Pleasures of God by John Piper, sell one of your other shirts and buy it. Even Piper himself, I believe, would say that it's his best. Here he recounts the story of the return of the Prodigal Son.
"The father runs. Can you see them both running? Or maybe the boy was too stunned to run. Perhaps he couldn't believe his eyes. Maybe the smell of pigs was still on him. Maybe the thought flashed through his mind to turn and escape this utterly unexpected demonstration of affection. But he does not turn. Jesus says the father embraced him and kissed him--pig smell and all. Can you see that embrace without feeling the emotion? I can't... I know that I am that son in Jesus' story. And I cannot comprehend that the Father in heaven- the great and glorious Creator of all the universe and Sovereign over all things- throws to the wind all dignified self-consciousness and runs to me and embraces me and kisses me, as though-- no! it is no fiction-- rather, because he is happy with me. He is glad with all his heart that I am part of the family. This is why I cannot see that embrace without pausing to let my eyes and throat recover." 
--John Piper, The Pleasures of God 

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