Can you imagine being gathered to God and basking in His love? When all these blessings and curses I have set before you come on you and you take them to heart wherever the Lord your God disperses you among the nations, and when your children return to the Lord your God and obey him with all your heart and with all your soul according to everything I command you today, then the Lord your God will restore your fortunes and have compassion on you and gather you again from all the nations where he scattered you. The Lord your God will circumcise your hearts and the hearts of your descendants, so that you may love him with all your heart and with all your soul, and live. Deuteronomy 30:1-3, 6.

It occurs to me that in the parable of the Prodigal Son, Luke 15:11-32, we all of us are the prodigal son living in a far country separating ourselves from our Fathers love and care by our choice; but never separated from His love for us. The hardness of the older son’s heart toward his prodigal brother is our own hardened heart projected onto our loving Father. We can’t comprehend so great a love. My son, the father said, you are always with me, and everything I have is yours. 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.

This day I call the heavens and the earth as witnesses against you that I have set before you life and death, blessings and curses. Now choose life, so that you and your children may live and that you may love the Lord your God, listen to his voice, and hold fast to him. For the Lord is your life. v. 19-20.

He calls us to His love for us and never takes away our right to choose. Many of us hum along living comfortable lives and never appreciate how much God does for us; it’s so easy to forget God provides when we think we have because of our efforts. Many more throughout time live lives of desperation and need and long for anything better. The prodigal son realizing his desperate need returned to his father’s love.

We live in a far country but no country is far from God’s love for us because His love is everywhere. Now what I am commanding you today is not too difficult for you or beyond your reach. It is not up in heaven, so that you have to ask, “Who will ascend into heaven to get it and proclaim it to us so we may obey it?” Nor is it beyond the sea, so that you have to ask, “Who will cross the sea to get it and proclaim it so we may obey it?” No, the word is very near you; it is in your mouth and in your heart so you may obey it. v. 11-14.

God has always called us to His great love. Let us be not like the hard, judgmental son; let us be the prodigal son who knows his great need for forgiveness and finds his Father’s faithful, healing love. He’s here and He loves you. You are his child dearly loved.