Into your open arms....

A man had two sons, they both were coming of age but the younger said to the father; " give me my inherritance now, i don't want to wait, i can't stand all this work" so the father reluctantly gave him his share of the estate. The elder son stayed with his father to work and live, never asking for anything off his father, never complaining, always being faithful.
so the younger son went away and spent his money on wild parties, fancy living, fast women and realised that it didn't satisfy him, more and more he spent but i didn't help until eventualy the money ran out and his "friends" left him, he had nothing.
The only work he could find was working with a herd of pigs, he was paid a pittance, not enough to feed himself, and he was so hungry, so wanting, that he even wanted to eat the swill the pigs had. He was low, had nothing, but then thought; "if i go home, i could ask to become a servant of my father, even they get better treatment than this"
So off he went home, but on the way he started thinking "how can i go back, he would never want me, i'm so stupid, he would hate me, i have waisted all his money, i am dirty, filthy, he would shurely cast me away"
His father, in the meantime, had spent everyday waiting for his son to return, he watched out along the roads to see if he would come back, and one day he saw him, a long way off, the son was about to turn back, but the father ran towards him. Exploding with life towards his lost son, he ran with his arms open to greet him and when he reached his son he threw his arms around him, and held him tight. He didn't care that he smelt awful, that the dirt and filth from his son's clothes stained his own clean robes, he didn't care what the neighbours thought of his ghastly display of indignity. He just wanted his child.
The father called the servants and held a huge feast, he gave the son new clothes, and a place of honour.He was home again.
Meanwhile the elder son was angry, he spoke to the father demanding "why does he get all this?! I'm the one who deserves this, I did nothing wrong, nothing but good, i helped you and worked for you..." at this point the father cut him off
"come, join in this feast, your brother is home, i Love him just like i do you, but don't you see? Once he was dead, but now he is alive, he was lost but now he is found"

(Look for a better verson in Luke 15: 11-32)

This inspired one of my favourite songs;

I will return to you and say
I am not fit to be your slave
For I have sinned and turned away

My journey home is filled with fear
Of what I'll find when I draw near
Is there a welcome for me here?

Then running towards me
A beautiful sight
A Father who loves his own
He's standing before me
Exploding with life
So I offer up my own

Into your open arms
Into you open arms
Into your open arms
I throw myself
Into your open arms
Into your open arms
Into your open arms
Your arms of saving grace

You know how faithfully I've served
All your commands I have observed
Yet he receives what I deserve
Have I forgotten where I stand?
Taken for granted who I am?
A child held in my Father's hands

So come to the table and join in the feast
Where joy and grace abound
For once I was dead, but now Im alive
I was lost, but now Im found

Into your open arms
Into you open arms
Into your open arms
I throw myself
Into your open arms
Into your open arms
Into your open arms
Your arms of saving grace

Luke 15:4... "Suppose one of you had a hundred sheep and lost one. Wouldn't you leave the ninety-nine in the wilderness and go after the lost one until you found it?
When found, you can be sure you would put it across your shoulders, rejoicing...
Count on it--there's more joy in heaven over one sinner's rescued life than over ninety-nine good people in no need of rescue. "