The Mirror of the Word by C.E. White can be purchased here: https://www.amazon.com/Mirror-Word-Devotions-Reveal-Refine/dp/B0DFZS83C7  To learn more about this author and other words, visit https://cewhitebooks.com/

“How often I wanted to gather your children together, just as a hen gathers her young under her wings, and you were unwilling!”

—Luke 13:34

Our Lord invites, woos, and pursues us. He defends, upholds, and provides for us.

But not if we will not come to him.

Like the prodigal son, though we’re offered an inheritance, provision, and love in our Father’s house, we too often leave its protection.

We don’t want to yield to the authority that comes with that inheritance, provision, and love or the responsibility sonship requires.

We decide the Father doesn’t really have our best interests at heart, so we run out from under the protection, warmth, and plenty he gives.

We want to do what we want when we want, so we leave.

We trade the fullness of joy in the Lord’s presence that leads to pleasures forever (Psalm 16:11) for the temporary pleasures of sin (Hebrews 11:25) that lead to our soul’s destruction (Galatians 6:8).

The Father wasn’t restricting us from good things; he was giving us the true prize while protecting us from everything that masquerades as good.

When we’ve wandered long and far enough to see the shiny veneer wear off the world’s offerings, our Father is still there waiting and wanting to welcome us home.

He longs for it, just as a good earthly father would always want his wayward son to return home.

When we’re feeling lost and exposed in this world, earthly pursuits have tarnished, and we remember the beauty of all we left behind with our Father, we don’t have to hesitate to return.

He wants to gather us under his wings.

Podcast: Play in new window | Download