Today is a special day, as is evidenced by the countless amount of ‘daddy and me’ photos on Facebook. And yet, today is far more special than a man-made holiday. Today is the Lord’s Day.

Each first day of the week we go to worship our God. Each first day of the week we celebrate our Father’s Son and the life that He gave for us. Each first day of the week we go before Him and praise Him. Every Sunday is my Father’s day.

But sometimes, I take it for granted. You see, with the holiday that is Father’s Day, it’s easier. It’s only one day of the year, and so people take extra time to think about/give gifts to/appreciate their earthly fathers. But taking time out of every week…every day…to appreciate/think about/give to my heavenly Father is a little more difficult. Necessary, but difficult.

However, on a day set aside to honor fathers, it’s only right that we think about our Heavenly Father, and how truly blessed we are to be able to call the Creator of the universe Father. I could never deserve it. None of us could ever deserve to be His children, yet that’s exactly what we’re called. When I was baptized, I became an adopted heir, with Jesus, to an inheritance far greater than our minds can fathom. I became a part of God’s family—His daughter (2 Cor. 6:18). I am so undeserving.

I am so thankful to have a perfect heavenly Father, who loves me when I am less than lovable. Who loved me when I was lost in sin, and Who sent His only Son to redeem me. The story of the prodigal son in Luke 15 is a perfect story for us to contemplate today because it shows us just how blessed we are to have a Father like God Almighty.

1: God loves us when we’re greedy (Luke 15:12). 

The son in the story tells his father that he wants his inheritance and he wants it now. Basically he’s saying, “Dad, I wish you were dead so I could have my money.” But, the father loves the son and he freely gives to him all that is his. He loved him, even though he was greedy.

Too often, we are very much a gimme-gimme-gimme people. We want what we want, how we want it, and we forget that all things come from God (James 1:17). We decide we would rather be entertained than come together and praise our God in the ways He has instructed. We decide that certain things aren’t sinful because we don’t want them to be, even though God has already had the final word on the matter. We are a greedy people, yet our heavenly Father gives to us bountiful blessings.

2; God loves us when we leave Him. 

Even when we wander away, God is waiting, watching, and loving us. The son in the story took all of the goods that his father gave him and he left. He walked out on the one person who’d given him all that he had. Sadly, we do that to God. We walk away from the life full of blessings that HE gave to us. We decide we can handle our own lives, and so we simply walk out on Him–the One who has given us freedom from sin and redemption and life everlasting! Still,  He’s there loving us.

3: God loves us when we forget about Him.

In the story, the son went about living the “good life”…partying and spending all of his money. He’d forgotten where that money came from. He’d forgotten where he came from. We do the same thing don’t we? Throughout the week, we go about our day to day lives forgetting whose we are.; forgetting the family that we’re a part of. We forget to thank our Father or even talk to Him!  But even when we forget, God is still there, loving us.

How can I say that God’s still there….even when we’re greedy, defiant, and forgetful? Look at the story in Luke 15. Verse 20 says this,

“And he arose and came to his father. But when he was still a great way off, his father saw him and had compassion, and ran and fell on his neck and kissed him.”

The father wasn’t waiting inside, sitting in his favorite chair, nonchalant about the situation. He didn’t make the son come inside and beg at his feet. No, he was concerned. He was anxiously awaiting his return—to the point of standing outside waiting, then running to meet the son halfway.

God is the same way. He is waiting for us to come back to Him when we stumble and stray. Like the son in the story, we must first turn away from our sinful ways and repent. When we turn back around….God is there. He is there to reach for us and pick us up. He is ready to forgive.

Truly it is great to be a child of God. Regardless of my sinful state, my Father’s love is present. But, as is shown in the context of the story in Luke 15, we have to do something to receive the love and forgiveness that is there. We have to choose to be a child of God through repentance and baptism. We have to choose to obey His commands. We have to choose to be buried and raised to walk a new life. When we go astray, we have to choose to come back. When we do that, God’s abundant mercies can be poured out on us. But, like the prodigal son, we have the option to walk away. We have the option of turning away. Don’t. Nothing this life has to offer could be greater than the treasure God has laid up in heaven for His children.

Today, while you’re busy showering your earthly fathers with much-deserved thanks and praise and gratitude, don’t forget about your heavenly Father. And next Sunday, don’t forget about Him either.