Read Lk. 15:11-24.
Do you know that God is interested in you and you alone and not your sins? Though our sins hurt him but they are of no significant importance to him (Ezekiel 33:11). It is just you and only you. There is always rejoicing in heaven anytime we respond to the love of God through his invitation to change (Lk. 15:7,10).
To tell you how important you are (as depicted in the parable of the prodigal son) a “fattened calf” (v.23) was slaughtered. The father insisted on the “fattened” one and not just any other calf, why? Were there no other animals in the house? That calf was fattened for just one special purpose – the lost son (YOU).
In v.21 it says the father saw the boy a distance off and had pity on him, RAN OUT (not walk begrudgingly) to meet him, hugged and kissed him (not slap or rain of abuses). You can imagine of all that the son did to him. He even ignored all the boy’s ranting (v.21) because it matters not to him and gave the order for a feast already being prepared for (with the fattened calf as evidence) since the celebrant had arrive (vv.22-23), for what reason – his lost boy is back safe and sound (v.24), which translates to LOVE.
A fattened calf awaits you too because that is the nature of God the Father. Must you keep or allowing your hopeless, helpless or shameful situations pull you back from experiencing and enjoying God’s love? For this reason if no other I must reason and be happy with God because he loves me so so much and am very precious to him (cf. Jn. 3:16; Rom. 5:8; Jn. 15:13; 1 Jn. 4:10).
Still pray today with the song “my hope is built on nothing less”; as well as Ps. 51, 34 and read Deut. 15.
SHEPHERD ME O LORD BEYOND MY STRENGTH.