And the son said, "Father, I have sinned before Heaven and in thy sight, and am no more worthy to be called thy son—"
But he could not get any further than that in what he meant to say! For his father's arms were round him, and his father's voice was saying in the old familiar tones, "Bring hither the best robe, and put it on him! And put a ring on his hand, and shoes on his feet; and bring here the fatted calf and let us make a feast; for this my son was dead, and is alive again; he was lost, and is found!"
Children, we have here a picture of the way our loving Heavenly Father welcomes back those who have wandered from Him.
His heart is full of love; He grieves that we want to take our own way, and go far-off from Him.
But if we are sorry, and come back to His loving arms, we shall find that they will open to receive us; He will put the best robe upon us, and He will prepare a feast for us; and there shall be joy in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner repenting!
Do you want to know what the "best robe" means?
It is the Robe of Christ's righteousness. For Christ's sake, who has shed His precious blood to make us clean and white, we can be dressed in that perfect robe; and then we shall be fit to join in the feast and the rejoicings, which are coming by and by in heaven.
[XXIX. The Pharisee and the Publican]
Two men were wending their way towards God's Temple at Jerusalem, a Pharisee and a Publican.
There, on a hill, stood the beautiful building with its white marble pillars glistening in the sun; and as they walked along the hot roads towards God's House, their thoughts were very different.