But we had to celebrate and be glad, because this brother of yours was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.’”  Luke 15:32 NIV

My wife and I used to ride in separate vehicles on the way to church. One of our two sons would go with her to Sunday School, while the other tagged along with me. During that hour I went to sing hymns for a nursing home and then we would meet in church for the service. Afterwards our practice was to switch who road home with who, mostly because tour little guys liked riding in my pickup truck. Everything worked great, till one day we got a brief taste of what the prodigal’s father had experienced in today’s verse. That was the Sunday that we forgot our older son Chris at church. After being left behind, it didn’t take Chris long to realize that something was amiss, but he didn’t panic. He thoroughly searched the church and asked around with our friends. Remember that in those pre-cell phone years, no one could just call us up, so Chris, being a bit puzzled as to what best to do, just sat down on the steps. Just then one of the deacons (who thankfully was our close friend) came to lock the doors and noticed Chris.

“So, where’s your mom and dad?” he asked. “I don’t know.” Chris answered shaking his head.

“Hey, if you want to ride in my truck, I’ll take you home.” John offered.

Meanwhile when Nancy and I met back at home, minus one son, panic began to set in. I quickly grabbed my keys, ran down the back steps and out the door, when just then John’s truck with both Chris and John grinning from ear to ear pulled up to the house. “Forget something?”  John asked with a chuckle,

As Chris hopped out, Nancy and I ran to embrace our very briefly lost son and understood just a little the prodigal son’s father, as his son came stumbling home. Imagine then the heart of God. Though we have forgotten Him, He has never forgotten us, and He sent Jesus to pick us up at the cross and carry us safely home to Him!