God presented Christ as a sacrifice of atonement, through the shedding of his blood—to be received by faith. (Rom. 3:25)

I watched as the young mother and small children waited excitedly and nervously at the airport. The passengers began exiting the plane and then the little girl yelled, “Daddy!” A young man dressed in military uniform was quickly caught up in the hugs and tears of reunion with his family. He had come home. Everything would be okay now.

Reunions are wonderful, but reconciliations are more wonderful. Separation caused by alienation is painful and difficult to resolve. Someone has to take the first step. Someone has to be willing to accept the cost of removing the barriers and giving permission for the other person to come home.

God did that for us in Jesus. Through the atonement, he provided a covering for our sin. He opened the door to his house, and he opened his arms to welcome us home. Like a father watching out of the window for his wayward son to come home, he waits for us to receive by faith what he has made possible. We have to believe he will accept us. We have to believe he loves us. We have to yield to his embrace

Coming home to the Father, and to those with whom we have been estranged, is when things begin to be made right again. Love is made stronger. Life is faced together with renewed courage. It is good to come home.

Consider how you might reconcile with those alienated from you.

Ken Heer was an ordained minister with The Wesleyan Church, prior to his death in 2016. He served as a pastor, educator, and church leader for more than fifty years.

© 2020 Wesleyan Publishing House. Reprinted from Light from the Word. Used by permission.

Scriptures taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®.