the Dave and Shawn show: The Extravagant Love of the Father

   It was lunchtime on Wednesday. I had spent the morning in the DTS office trying to sort out our problematic visa application for Brazil. I was feeling a bit frustrated by the paperwork, but was enjoying hearing Z talk about his morning while we waited in line to get food. One of the front desk gals came up to me and handed me a piece of paper. All it said was:

    From: Shawn`s Dad.
    Note: We are driving down. See you in the morning.

   The girl said to me, "Yeah, he called and said that he got your letter and was just getting in the car to drive down here."
I burst into tears. I knew what was in that letter. I knew what would drive my hates-to-travel father to get in the car and start a 16 hour drive to see me. Extravagant Love.

   You see, a few posts ago, I wrote about our Freedom week class, and all the peace and joy I have found in the forgiveness of Christ. What I didn`t say is that there were a lot of things that I had to confess about from way back in my life... things I hadn`t even told my parents. So after Freedom week I wrote my Dad a letter that detailed everything I had always wanted him to know but had never had the courage to tell him. I`d hoped that at least he would write me a letter in return... maybe a phone call.

   But instead, my dad recieved that letter... and he and my mom packed a bag and started driving. On Friday morning my dad got out of the car and hugged me. He told me he forgives me, loves me, and wants me to know that nothing I could have ever done, or ever could do will take his love from me. He didn`t want to just call or write... he wanted to show up for me.

    In the story of the Prodigal Son (Luke 15:11-31) Jesus demonstrated the extravagant love of the Father. The son makes a ton of mistakes, ruins his own life, and then decides to try to go back and be a slave for his father... but then there`s the verse that I think is the point of the whole story:
   "And while he was still a long way off, his father saw him coming. Filled with love and compassion, he ran to his son, embraced him, and kissed him."

When I was handed that note, I knew that this was how the prodigal son would have felt. I was "coming home" from my sin, and even though I am a long way away from my parents... my dad saw me and ran to me.

My parents stayed for less than 24 hours. The point was not to visit, the point was to demonstrate how great their love for me is. While they were here though, we had the chance to go for a swim, eat mexican food, go hiking, and share with them all that God is doing in our life. It was amazing. I even got to take them to see my wedding dress (for our renewal ceremony). When my dad saw me in my dress there were tears in his eyes, and when I told him that I was finally wearing white because I finally felt like God had showed me I am forgiven and worthy... he cried with joy.

This is the extravagant love of the Father.