COMING HOME FOR CHRISTMAS!

 

THE RETURN OF THE PRODIGAL SON

BY  POMPERO BATONI , 1773

I forget sometimes that Christmas time is not a 
happy one for some people. A parent and their
adult child may be in an estranged relationship.
This parent longs to see their son or daughter 
come through the door at Christmas. I'm asking
the parent not to give up.  Please keep praying 
for the Lord to bless the child and to soften their
heart. I would continue to call or send a Christmas
card to let them know you still love them. Please
keep the faith, if they refuse you advances. The
display of unconditional love is a powerful thing.

I hope will you read the scriptures below about
the prodigal son for encouragement.

LUKE 15:11-21, 24-25, 28-29, 31-32

¹¹ Then He said: “A certain man had two sons. 
¹² And the younger of them said to his father, ‘Father, give me the portion of goods that falls to me.’ So he divided to them his livelihood. 
¹³ And not many days after, the younger son gathered all together, journeyed to a far country, and there wasted his possessions with prodigal living. 
¹⁴ But when he had spent all, there arose a severe famine in that land, and he began to be in want. 
¹⁵ Then he went and joined himself to a citizen of that country, and he sent him into his fields to feed swine. 
¹⁶ And he would gladly have filled his stomach with the pods that the swine ate, and no one gave him anything.
¹⁷ “But when he came to himself, he said, ‘How many of my father’s hired servants have bread enough and to spare, and I perish with hunger! 
¹⁸ I will arise and go to my father, and will say to him, “Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you, 
¹⁹ and I am no longer worthy to be called your son. Make me like one of your hired servants.”’
²⁰ “And he arose and came to his father. But when he was still a great way off, his father saw him and had compassion, and ran and fell on his neck and kissed him
²¹ And the son said to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and in your sight, and am no longer worthy to be called your son.’

²⁴ for this my son was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.’ And they began to be merry.
²⁵ “Now his older son was in the field. And as he came and drew near to the house, he heard music and dancing.

²⁸ “But he was angry and would not go in. Therefore his father came out and pleaded with him.  
²⁹ So he answered and said to his father, ‘Lo, these many years I have been serving you; I never transgressed your commandment at any time; and yet you never gave me a young goat, that
might make merry with my friends.  

³¹ “And he said to him, ‘Son, you are always with me, and all that I have is yours.
³² It was right that we should make merry and be glad, for your brother was dead
and is alive again, and was lost and is found.’”