Celebrating the Feast of Return
«They shall walk after the LORD: he shall roar like a lion: for when he shall roar, then the children shall tremble from the west. They shall tremble as a bird out of Egypt, and as a dove out of the land of Assyria: and I will place them in their houses, saith the LORD.»
«Now his elder son was in the field: and as he came and drew nigh to the house, he heard music and dancing. And he called one of the servants, and asked what these things meant. And he said unto him, Thy brother is come; and thy father hath killed the fatted calf, because he hath received him safe and sound.»
Promise and fulfilment
In the Old Testament, it was promised that God would call His people home from afar and bring them back to safety, to settle them once more in their houses.
This promise has been fulfilled in Christ, who paves our way back to the Father. His story of the prodigal son reveals that this homecoming is not merely longed for, but celebrated with unrestrained joy and a grand feast, because the lost has been found.
Let these verses remind you to take your own Bible in your hands, read them there again and, if you wish, continue a little further. Holding God's Word in your hands also gives you a precious moment away from the digital world.
Do not read the Bible in one long run, but passage by passage: one text, unhurried, asking the Holy Spirit for understanding. Whoever tries to swallow everything at once loses the overview. Whoever takes one passage each day will see the whole picture over time.
The connection
In the Old Testament, God announced through Hosea that He would call His people home like a lion, to settle them back in their houses. This yearning for return finds its deepest fulfilment in the New Testament. Jesus, in the parable of the prodigal son, shows how returning to the Father not only means acceptance but sparks an overwhelming feast of joy.
Reflection
Yesterday, we saw how the Father's unconditional acceptance touched the heart of the returning son. Today, it becomes clear that this acceptance doesn't happen in silence, but culminates in a grand celebration. Imagine the Father preparing everything to celebrate the return of His child. Music, dancing, the finest food – all to express the joy over what was lost and is now found.
This jubilation is not merely a reaction to the return, but an expression of God's deepest nature. He is a God who rejoices when His children come home. He doesn't just call us back; He prepares a feast for us. The roar of the lion, which in the Old Testament calls for homecoming, becomes in the New Testament the sound of music and dancing, expressing the Father's joy at reunification.
Let yourself be swept away by this joy today. If you ever wonder if you are truly welcome, remember this feast. God doesn't just want you to come home; He wants to celebrate with you. He wants you to feel safe and loved, back in your home, with Him. This feast is for you.
Prayer
Dear Heavenly Father, I thank You for Your loud call that brings me home. I thank You that my return to You means not just acceptance, but ignites a feast of joy. Help me today to hear the music and dancing of Your love in my heart, and to remember that I am always welcome with You. Let me feel Your joy and carry it into the world. Amen.
The thread
Yesterday we celebrated unconditional acceptance; today we see how this acceptance culminates in a feast of joy, before we turn our attention tomorrow to the perspective of the elder brother.
Your Father celebrates you – let yourself be filled with His joy today and be a part of His feast.
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