Your Father Is Waiting for You

If you have made it to this Christmas feeling like the prodigal son when he wanted to see the world and squandered his inheritance, stop and listen. Dad is waiting for you! Can you believe it? Yes, that is why Christ was born there in Bethlehem and also, when He so desired, in your heart. Do not hold back; there is wood on the fire in His home, and He is already preparing new garments to cover you twice over after the embrace. His heart is celebrating your return. His sadness vanished when He learned that you had begun thinking about Him again, about His care and the safe rest He gave your life while you remained by His side. So you went your own way and squandered His blessings? Do not blame yourself so much. Think of His open arms and His warm cheek on that day when you gave Him your first filial kiss as a grateful child, happy to have Him in your life. He knows that deep in your heart, you have not forgotten Him.

What is holding you back? The apparent success you enjoy without Him? Your wealth and possessions, attained through the many blessings He once gave you? Could it be that the colorful garlands on your Christmas tree are keeping you from seeing the Cross? Reflect for just a moment. Dad is waiting for you!

There are many prodigal children wandering around like ships without direction. They filled their pockets with blessings and set off to travel the world, forgetting the One who had filled them. After they ate the pigs’ carob pods (Luke 15:17) and filled their stomachs with scraps, He offers another opportunity. Dad is there, close by. Sometimes He peers through the doorway because He senses your return, but He sits down again on the threshold of His forgiveness, clinging to the hope that you will make a new attempt to return to His arms when He sees that you are not making the best decision. Why not call Him again? Do you not remember that He knows your voice? It is Christmas; it is impossible for you to have completely forgotten those Christmas carols you sang as a child, the embrace of your brothers and sisters at church, or the alms you gave to that beggar who crossed your path and reminded you of God’s mercy, which is so close to our hearts during this Christmas season.

It is Christmas, and Dad peers out again to see whether you are coming. He does not want to have dinner without you, without first extending His forgiveness, blessing you again, and doubling His favors. It is Christmas, and Dad wants to have all His children around His table. You no longer need to eat crumbs. Look at what our brother John says: “If we confess our sins, God, who is faithful and just, will forgive them and cleanse us from all unrighteousness” (1 John 1:9).

Christmas is forgiveness. I remind you that Christ was born, died, and rose again. Those three events are the hymn He composed for you and me. “It is finished” was His cry of hope for each one of us. He did everything on the Cross. He forgave us (Ephesians 1:7), made us righteous through His shed blood (Romans 5:9), reconciled us to the Father (2 Corinthians 5:19), and, as if that were not enough, gave us His life so that we might share ours entirely with Him. All of this comes from the Cross and is the wonderful meaning of this phrase. All our debts were canceled. The Lord paid them without regard for our sin. Because of all this, He can offer forgiveness to every sinner who wants to come to Him and to every prodigal child who decided to seek happiness apart from His love and who today is yearning for an embrace from his God, yet cannot bring himself to return to Him.

It is Christmas. Can you not see Jesus’ star guiding you once again to the fold of tender pastures and rivers of honey? Do not delay, my brother or sister. Dad is waiting for you! This can be a different, memorable Christmas. Do not resist any longer. From this side of the world, one of your brothers will be celebrating your return. I would not miss that celebration for anything in the world!

Merry Christmas!

God bless you!