Coming Home

So he got up and went to his father. But while the son was still a long way off, his father saw him and was filled with compassion. He ran, threw his arms around his neck, and kissed him. LUKE 15:20 CSB 

Plant ladies love the excitement of bringing home a new baby. A new plant baby, that is! We’ve picked the perfect one to add to our collection. We can’t wait to get it home, pot it in a cute planter, and place it on a windowsill or in a sunny room. We will gaze at it for too long, content to be in its presence and to admire how perfectly it belongs in its new home. 

God rejoices when His children come home. But God is not an adamant parent forcing the issue. He reaches out to us, but it’s our choice to go to Him. Like vines weaving through a trellis, sometimes we take the roundabout way to get home. We plan to get there sooner, but distractions get in the way. Life happens. We have jobs to work, mouths to feed, bills to pay, errands to run. We stay busy in our physical homes while our spiritual homes sit vacant and unattended. 

Just like coming home at the end of a long day brings a sigh of relief and a feeling of peace, returning to Jesus is the rest our hearts need. Ideally, we’d never leave. God’s presence is our perfect home. We’re like curious children who test boundaries, though, and we wander away. We don’t mean to go far, but suddenly, we’re lost and unsure how to get back. We’re not sure we’ll be welcomed even if we find our way. We’ve strayed so far from home. 

God never stops reaching out to us. Do you feel a stirring in your heart telling you to turn back? That’s Jesus calling. He’s waiting with open arms to welcome you home. He rejoices when you return. He longs to be with you and fill you with contentment in His presence. He can’t wait to show you how perfectly you belong in His home. 

Father, bring me back to You when I go astray. I’m sorry for wandering away and allowing the distractions and attractions of life to pull me away from You. I want to live in Your presence. Thank You for welcoming me home. 

This is an excerpt from Playing in the Dirt: 90 Devotions for Crazy Plant Ladies – a new devotional journal now available for pre-order on DaySpring.com. Shop all books, journals, and devotions from DaySpring here.