“In the same way, I tell you, there is rejoicing in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner who repents” ( Luke 15:10).

The old Biblical story of the Prodigal son who left his father to have his own life easily reveals the power of reconciliation. “There was a man who had two sons. The younger one said to his father, ‘Father, give me my share of the estate.’ So he divided his property between them. Not long after that, the younger son got together all he had, set off for a distant country and there squandered his wealth in wild living. (Luke 15:11-13).

Of course here we know the father had not complied to the lad’s request that easily but he just gave in to a tempetous kid. Away from his father the young man having squandered all quickly realised his error. Finally he got back to his senses: “I will set out and go back to my father and say to him: Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son; make me like one of your hired servants” (v 18-19). But once the father saw him from afar, he “ was filled with compassion for him; he ran to his son, threw his arms around him and kissed him” ( vv 20). The two enstraged father and son had been hurting and were now reconciled.

So often when two once close people are enstraged they are borth hurting. Something inside is aching. This is why whenever reconciliation occurs there is ruptorous joy. The father said, “Bring the fattened calf and kill it. Let’s have a feast and celebrate. For this son of mine was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.’ So they began to celebrate” (vv 23-24).

If you are enstranged from someone you were once close to, maybe its time for both of you to reconcile. For just as it was here both of you are hurting. Most important whenever we walk away from God, we are enstranged from a loving Father. But the day we return the angels weep with rejoicing!

Prayer today: Lord Father God of Abraham, maker of heaven and earth, where I am enstraged from your loving arms today I return to you, for you are a God of reconciliation, no matter how far one is removed from you, and this I pray in Jesus’s name!