Your Father Has Compassion for You Because of Jesus

"And he arose, and came to his father. But when he was yet a great way off, his father saw him, and had compassion, and ran, and fell on his neck, and kissed him." (Luke 15: 20)

The Father always felt compassion, had caring for his prodigal son.

The son just did not know how much his father cared about him.

Now, when first hearing the Parable of the Loving Father, the audience of Jesus' time may have been scandalized by what they heard.

Under the Old Covenant, disobedient children were not welcomed with warm hugs and parties.

They were stoned to death:

"18 If a man have a stubborn and rebellious son, which will not obey the voice of his father, or the voice of his mother, and that, when they have chastened him, will not hearken unto them:

"19 Then shall his father and his mother lay hold on him, and bring him out unto the elders of his city, and unto the gate of his place;

"20 And they shall say unto the elders of his city, This our son is stubborn and rebellious, he will not obey our voice; he is a glutton, and a drunkard.

"21 And all the men of his city shall stone him with stones, that he die: so shalt thou put evil away from among you; and all Israel shall hear, and fear." (Deuteronomy 21: 18-21)

Yet this Father does not. Why?

Because the Father went soft on sin? No, but because His perfect Son died for us in our place for ALL our sins:

"For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him." (2 Corinthians 5: 21)

and also:

"And you, being dead in your sins and the uncircumcision of your flesh, hath he quickened together with him, having forgiven you all trespasses; 14Blotting out the handwriting of ordinances that was against us, which was contrary to us, and took it out of the way, nailing it to his cross;15And having spoiled principalities and powers, he made a shew of them openly, triumphing over them in it." (Colossians 2: 13-15)

God can richly bless us and shower His grace on us, because His Son took all our sins:

"If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness." (1 John 1: 9)

And also

"Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ:" (Ephesians 1: 3)

We are blessed in Christ, we are made gracious, highly favored in Christ (Ephesians 1: 6), and thus we can rest assured that our Father has compassion on us in spite of all we are going through, and even if it's our own fault.