“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!  I will arise and go to my father, and will say to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you, and I am no longer worthy to be called your son.  Make me like one of your hired servants.’ ”  Luke 15: 17-19 NKJV)

Why am I living in this dank, smelly environ

Shared with creatures of the night like mice, rats and vermin?

My Father is living in a place of honor on high –

What does He think of me when He passes by?

Does He even see me?  Am I a disgrace?

Would He take me in and let me share His place?

Why am I eating molded food just to stay alive,

Scrounging day by day with barely enough to survive?

My Father’s table is prepared in a huge banquet hall;

He presides at the head.  Did I hear Him call?

Why am I doing without the luxury to bathe,

Having only cold dirty water with which to lave?

My Father has hot water and sweet smelling oil.

Would He let me step into His mercy pool and leave all my soil?

Could I wash away all the grime and scrub the sin spots away,

Leaving the whole mess with Him and begin a “New Day”?

Why am I wearing these rags, shivering in the cold?

My Father is dressed in regal attire, beautiful to behold.

Does He not care that I’m not adequately dressed here;

That I have only tattered clothes—Is He ashamed of how I appear?

If I asked Him, if I begged, would He notice my despair?

Would He give me clean clothes?  Should I ask—Would I dare?

“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…his father said to his servants, ‘Bring out the best robe and put it on him, and put a ring on his hand and sandals on his feet, and bring the fatted calf here and kill it, and let us eat and be merry; for this my son was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.’ “ (Luke 15:22-24 NKJV).

Yes!  From His lofty vantage point, He sees my squalor.

His heart is tender toward me.  He says, “Come, follow.”

He’s only been waiting for my cognizance of my rights,

To come claim my heritage and in Him delight.

“In My house are many mansions,” my Father told me,

“Jesus made it possible through His death at Calvary.

“You don’t disgrace me, my child.  Removed that from your mind.

Jesus suffered your disgrace, and now you are Mine.

Remember you’re a King’s child, and don’t you forget;

You were redeemed at Calvary; Jesus paid your debt.

You’ve been cleansed by the blood Jesus shed on the tree;

Though your sins were as scarlet, they are gone!  You are free!”

Then He showed me His table spread with more than I could eat.

I would have been happy just to sit at His feet.

I would have rejoiced just to be in His employ.

But He said, “Come and dine.  All this is yours to enjoy.”

I could hardly believe it—It was just too good to be mine!

But it was—It was true.  He said I was His for all time.

The finest apparel was now waiting to be donned,

A bright robe of righteousness that I could never have earned,

Prepared by a Master Tailor, fitted just to my size.

So beautiful!  Exceeding my most imaginative surmise.

He fitted my feet with the gospel and with truth He did gird me;

With His love He sustained me.  He gave his Spirit to guide me.

What took me so long to see how much He loves me?

Now I can see the deprivation I suffered was unnecessary.

If only I’d been listening with my heart more intently

I’d have heard His voice sooner as He called me so gently.

But I'm home now and happy, in His love I’m secure.

He’ll never leave nor forsake me—of that I am sure!

“Through the Lord’s mercies we are not consumer, because His compassions fail not.  They are new every morning; Great is your faithfulness.” (Lamentations 3:22-23 NKJV)

~~~Delores~~~