I struggle with feeling like I need to be perfect in order to approach God. Today I was reading from
The Ragamuffin Gospel by Brennan Manning and found this reflection about the Prodigal Son:
“For me, the most touching verse in the entire Bible is the father’s response: ‘While he was still a long way off, his father saw him and was moved with pity. He ran to the boy, clasped him in his arms and kissed him’ (Luke 15:20). I am moved that the father didn’t cross-examine the boy, bully him, lecture him on ingratitude, or insist on any high motivation. He was so overjoyed at the sight of his son that he ignored all the canons of prudence and parental discretion and simply welcomed him home. The father took him back just as he was.
What a word of encouragement, consolation, and comfort! We don’t have to sift our hearts and analyze our intentions before returning home. Abba just wants us to show up. We don’t have to tarry at the tavern until purity of heart arrives. We don’t have to be shredded with sorrow or crushed with contrition. We don’t have to be perfect or even very good before God will accept us. We don’t have to wallow in guilt, shame, remorse, and self-condemnation. Even if we still nurse a secret nostalgia for the far coutnry, Abba falls on our neck and kisses us.”
Often I delay coming to the Father because I feel like there’s a laundry list of sin issues I need to iron out first. Other times it’s because I’m not really “feeling” too much passion for Him at the moment. And then there are moments when I think …why would He want to spend time with me?
I love this picture of the Father RUNNING towards us and then embracing us. Not because we’re good, not because we smell nice, not because we really want to spend time with Him, but because HE LOVES US.
I’m amazed.
