Return to Me: Part 1 Coming Back!

Therefore, say to the people, ‘This is what the LORD of Heaven’s Armies says: Return to me, and I will return to you, says the LORD of Heaven’s Armies.’
-Zechariah 1:3
For the past few days, God has been burning this message on my heart. I feel like so many people need to hear it. There is so much doubt in the world, so much hopelessness, hurt, bitterness...the list could go on, and the excuses as to why we do not return to the Lord. But it's time to come back! Softly and Tenderly, Jesus is calling!
There are many Christians who have wandered away from the Lord. Satan wants us to believe, that once we have fallen away, there is no way back. But this simply is not true. Do not be discouraged by your mistakes, but keep coming back to Christ over and over. Jesus tells a parable in Luke 15:11-24, which illustrates how God longs for us to return to Him if we have wandered away in sin. The parable tells of a son who took his inheritance and went away from his father into a far country and wasted his inheritance in riotous living (He went to Vegas). He became destitute and hired out to feed pigs. He became so hungry he even wanted to eat what the pigs ate. He decided to go back to his father and hire out as one of his hired servants. Verse 20 says:
"And he arose and came back to his father. But when he was still a great way off, his father saw him and had compassion, and ran and fell on his neck and kissed him."
In this parable the father represents God. Christ gave us this parable to show how anxious God is to have us come back if we have wandered away from him in sin. God will run to us with open arms if we will only come back to Him. I’m often reminded of the beautiful words penned by Henry Baker, “The King of Love,” in it he writes,
“Perverse and foolish oft I strayed, But yet in love he sought me
And on his shoulder gently laid, And home rejoicing brought me.”
Is Jesus calling you to return to Him? If you have wandered away, God, your Father, is waiting for you to come back to Him. He dearly wants you to come back! Maybe you haven't even come to the Father at all. Now is the time! Jesus can always be found, when you seek Him, you will find Him. GO!

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