(Joel 2:12-29, Joel 3:1-21, Luke 15:20-24)
The love of God to us is so great that His heart longs always for closeness between himself and us (His children). God has sorrows for all sinners, no matter the nature and duration of their transgressions; “small or big sins”. All our unfaithfulness leaves God unhappy. Each time we transgress, if only we can see the reaction from our heavenly Father, we will not boldly go through the transgressions anymore. Usually, we think either we sin or not, God is not too concerned. We automatically think God is best described as a Judge who is only satisfied with judging us. No, His great love to us makes Him react to every thought and turn we make away from His righteous path to the path of unrighteousness. But because we cannot see Him as we see our earthly parents we think He is that far from our lives.Though He dwells in the heavens, He is closer to us than our flesh and blood. These flesh and blood that seem closest to human we be separated from us at the end. Our Lord is dearly connected to our lives that our slightest thought is either making Him happy or sad (Genesis 5:5, 6).
He is always like “stop that thought”, “stop, look away from that sin, don’t be deceived, it’s only a deceit”, “stop, if you think or look too long on that sin you will be deceived with it”, “take your mind and eyes away from it”. However, we are not normally conscious of these, because the veil of sins have blindfolded us. The audible voice becoming shielded by our love for the sinful thought; becoming faint till we do not hear it again. The caring voice in our minds getting replaced with the wicked and deceitful voice of the devil because our thoughts have given Him an access. If one gives the devil an access, he will build an empire.
The day we fall or plunge into sin is not the day God starts becoming sorrowful for us. He starts becoming sorrowful for us from the day we cast our minds on the sin and we start thinking about it. Since that day He would begin to plan for our restoration. Even in our disobedience He does not neglect us completely but He still ensures He keeps us. He becomes busy trying to work out our repentance, with everything around us and in us.
While we return, He is not just taking us in but He is welcoming us into His garden of love. He is not just taking us into His heart afresh because we are always there, in His heart, even when we are not thinking about Him, He thinks about us. So, He is welcoming us into His garden, His palace, into where strangers (the enemies ) do not have the right to come near us. There He returns our authority to us. He returns our priestly garment to us. (Luke 15:20-24)
He returns the joy of His salvation to us (Psalms 51:12). He returns us to our place in Him. He restores what was lost between us and Him! IN THIS OUR RESTORATION, OUR JOY AS CHILDREN OF GOD IS RETURNED TO US COMPLETELY!
Beloved, He is not just taking us in casually; He has prepared for our returning to Him, thus He celebrates (Luke 15:6-7, 21-24). Our returning to Him is not like we are bumping into His schedule/ plan; He still has us in His schedule/ plan.

Prayer Points
1) My Father, my Lord, do not give my place before You to another person (Matthew 19:30, Matthew 20:16).
2) Lord do not pass me by, count me worthy for your purpose.
3) I will not fall from Your grace and I will not take Your mercy for granted in Jesus name.
4) I receive and exercise the power of Your blood given to me as Your child without fear, in Jesus name.
5) Oh Lord Jesus, thank you for Your love and works in my life.