The Prodigal is a favorite story of mine told by Jesus,[1] maybe because of times when I, too, have felt a long way off from the Father. “But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and was filled with compassion for him; he ran to his son, threw his arms around him and kissed him.” It recently came to life again for me out of the heart of my good friend, Mason Rutledge, President of C3 Leaders. In his own words …

“God ran”

I WAS EXPLAINING to a long-time accomplice that in my sister’s passing, I was trusting God to be the God of Grace.

Rachelle could describe herself as the “prodigal daughter.” Let’s just say, she squeezed a lot of life into that tiny, 54-year old body. Shoot, there was a TV show made about parts of it.

While she had received salvation and confirmed it on her death bed, she had not spent much time “measuring up” to our American church-going standard. The stuff of sanctification was slight.

EARLIER THIS WEEK before her passing, I prayed for the God of Grace to meet Rachelle. That she would be welcomed by a God FULL of grace. That just this once, He would not check the tapes. There’d be no medical exam. That the God of Grace would welcome my lil’ sis.

My friend answered my statement with a two-word text:

“God ran.”

God ran. Two words with so much power. The most powerful sentence maybe ever constructed. The Pronoun and a Verb, of which there may not be more life, smile, power, or energy. God ran.

 

I SHARED THESE TWO WORDS  with a number of friends. One of them said, slyly, “Well, you can take that two ways, right?”

The words barely touched my ears, responding, “God’s character demands only one way.” (I probably said it more “preachy” then you are reading it).

God never runs away. If you turn toward Him, He always runs toward you. God is always and entirely The God of Grace.

WE CAN TRY TO GET our arguments together like the young lost son of Luke 15, but God waits and watches. When you break the horizon, He runs, hugs, kisses, does not check the records or listen to your case. He throws a party.

That is what happened on a Thursday afternoon at 3:15 p.m. A failing-kidney, racked-liver, hard-living blonde bombshell turned from this world to the next and she made no other move.

GOD RAN.

I love Mason’s story, full of faith and divine grace. As I read it again it was like God looking my way and saying, Do you remember when . . .? Do you have a friend, a loved one, a neighbor nearing the end of their earthly journey? Then read this story again. Because it is true. I never get tired of running toward the arms outstretched, of a loving God, welcoming prodigals home. It was true for Rachelle. It can be true for you and me.

God ran.

Mason was there at the Finish Line. Waiting to hand his much-loved little sister off to the God who runs to greet those who call to him. A good place for all of us to be, pointing the way to the Father.

May Jesus keep us close.

 

 

[1] Luke 15:11-32