Waiting, with open arms.

Scripture:
“No one looked on you with pity or had compassion…rather, you were thrown out into the open field, for on the day you were born you were despised. Then I passed by and saw you kicking about in your blood, and as you lay there in your blood I said to you, “Live!”…But you trusted in your beauty and used your fame to become a prostitute…I will deliver you into the hands of your lovers, and they will…strip you of your clothes and take your fine jewelry and leave you stark naked…Then my wrath against you will subside and my jealous anger will turn away from you; I will be calm and no longer angry.”  Ezekiel 16:5,6,15, 39, 42 (NIV)




Application:
Nothing can be harder for a parent than to see their child throw away their lives. The sacrifices, the protection, the love—all the valuable things that were given freely by a parent are wasted when a daughter or son sells themselves cheaply to the world. The world, of course, eats them whole. It’s a heartless, one-sided massacre.  The horrible result is predictable, swift, and inescapable: That once beautiful child becomes trash.
Do you see God’s point of view now? It’s the same for every one of us. God loved and cared for us even before we were born. It hurts Him so much when we turn our backs on Him.
But like a good Father, He’s waiting with open arms for us to return to Him…if we don’t wait too late.


Prayer:
Dear loving Father, I feel Your love for me. You care for me even when my self-esteem is so low that I don’t see the worth in myself.  I’m thankful that You took me back, cleaned me up, and set me on the right course. I pray that everyone will run away from the cruel world and back into Your loving arms.