Your Brother Was Dead, Part V

"It was right that we should make merry and be glad, for your brother was dead and is alive again, and was lost and is found." (1)

"Arise and go to your Father, He will meet you a great way off. If you take even one step toward Him in repentance, He will hasten to enfold you in His arms of infinite love. His ear is open to the cry of the contrite soul. The very first reaching out of the heart after God is known to Him. Never a prayer is offered, however faltering, never a tear is shed, however secret, never a sincere desire after God is cherished, however feeble, but the Spirit of God goes forth to meet it. Even before the prayer is uttered or the yearning of the heart made known, grace from Christ goes forth to meet the grace that is working upon the human soul.

"Your heavenly Father will take from you the garments defiled by sin. In the beautiful parabolic prophecy of Zechariah, the high priest Joshua, standing clothed in filthy garments before the angel of the Lord, represents the sinner. And the word is spoken by the Lord, 'Take away the filthy garments from him. And unto him He said, Behold, I have caused your iniquity to pass from you, and I will clothe you with change of raiment. . . So they set a fair miter upon his head, and clothed him with garments.' (2) Even so God will clothe you with 'the garments of salvation,' and cover you with 'the robe of righteousness.' (3) 'Though you have lien among the pots, yet you shall be as the wings of a dove covered with silver, and her feathers with yellow gold.' (4)

" 'He will bring you into His banqueting house, and His banner over you shall be love.' (5) 'If you will walk in My ways,' He declares, 'I will give you places to walk among these who stand here.' (6) --even among the holy angels that surround His throne.

" 'As the bridegroom rejoices over the bride, so shall your God rejoice over you.' (7) 'The Mighty One will save, He will rejoice over you with gladness; He will quiet you with His love; He will rejoice over you with singing.' (8) And heaven and earth shall unite in the Father's song of rejoicing: 'For this My son was dead, and is alive again, he was lost, and is found." (9)

1. Luke 15:32.
2. Zechariah 3:4, 5.
3. Isaiah 61:10.
4. Psalms 68:13.
5. Song of Solomon 2:4.
6. Zechariah 3:7.
7. Isaiah 62:5.
8. Zephaniah 3:17.
9. Christ's Object Lessons, pp. 207, 207.