Pause

Great is thy faithfulness, O God my Father, there is no shadow of turning with thee. Thou changest not, thy compassions, they fail not; as thou hast been, thou forever wilt be.

Great is thy faithfulness! Great is thy faithfulness! Morning by morning new mercies I see; all I have needed thy hand hath provided. Great is thy faithfulness, Lord, unto me! – Thomas O. Chisolm in “Great Is Thy Faithfulness” (1923)

Listen

“While he was still a long way off, his father saw him and was moved with compassion. His father ran to him, hugged him, and kissed him. Then his son said, ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you. I no longer deserve to be called your son.’ But the father said to his servants, ‘Quickly, bring out the best robe and put it on him! Put a ring on his finger and sandals on his feet! Fetch the fattened calf and slaughter it. We must celebrate with feasting because this son of mine was dead and has come back to life! He was lost and is found!’ And they began to celebrate.” – Luke 15:20b-24

Think

Remember the cheaters and wrongdoers from two days ago? They think they know just how this story will end. The son has cheated his father and wasted all his inheritance with wrongdoing. Surely the father will turn his back on his son. They’ve seen it happen in their own lives again and again and again.

But wait! In Jesus’ story, the father shows unfailing compassion, forgiving the cheating and wrongdoing son! Maybe, just maybe, this means that their God will forgive them, too, despite all they’ve done.

Have you ever thought God wouldn’t or couldn’t or shouldn’t forgive you? Our sin can take many, many forms — sometimes it’s things we do; other times things we don’t do. Sometimes unimaginably horrible; sometimes just a small step in the wrong direction.

No matter what you think is unforgivable, Jesus’ parable reminds us that God is ready to run to us, filled with unfailing compassion. When we ask forgiveness, God celebrates that we are dead to sin and alive to all that is good. – Chip Hardwick

Pray

Good and gracious God, you are a loving parent who forgives me whenever I ask, for whatever I have done. Strengthen me to return to you when I am far away, and remind me that you are filled with love and compassion. In Jesus’ name,

Amen.

Go

Great is thy faithfulness, O God my Father, there is no shadow of turning with thee. Thou changest not, thy compassions, they fail not; as thou hast been, thou forever wilt be.

Great is thy faithfulness! Great is thy faithfulness! Morning by morning new mercies I see; all I have needed thy hand hath provided. Great is thy faithfulness, Lord, unto me! – Thomas O. Chisolm in “Great Is Thy Faithfulness” (1923)

Writer – Chip Hardwick supports 700 Episcopal churches in Ohio and Michigan as the Interim Executive of the Synod of the Covenant.