Just recently, I watched a video about the rescue of an elephant calf from a well. The beginning was rather distressing, because in order to help rescue the baby, the humans had to drive the mother elephant away, for safety for themselves. This added to her distress, and she stayed in the distance calling her calf. After what seemed like for ever, they freed the calf from the well she had fallen into, and she took off at a rate of knots towards the sound of her mother’s voice. When the mother realised her baby was free, and running towards her, she thundered towards her, hotly pursued by an accompanying auntie. When the baby reached mama, mama put her trunk round the baby who stood underneath her and no doubt had a drink, while mama rumbled. No doubt the conversation was the equivalent of mama! I’m home! Yes sweetheart, you are and you are safe!
To see them running towards each other and the emotional reunion, reminded me of the parable of the prodigal son, where on the return of the son, the father sees him and runs to greet him. There are further parallels, in that the son has “fallen in a well”, of his own making. He has wasted his inheritance, and ended up feeding pigs in an attempt to earn some money. How low must that have been for a Jew to have had anything to do with pigs?
Instead of humans helping him out, his memories of his loving father brought him to his senses, and he headed for home. He was truly remorseful and humble; he realised his sin, and had repented, and was prepared to be as a servant, because he knew even so he would be fed and sheltered, and treated fairly. Instead, his father, who was obviously watching and waiting for him, saw him coming and ran to meet him. Like mama and baby elephant, there was an emotional and no doubt tearful reunion, and a celebration!
So Jesus searches for us. He doesn’t force us, he calls us, and waits for us to respond. Then He lifts us out of the ditch of our own making. We who were dead in our sins, He takes us by the hand and lifts us out. He left His home in glory and came to us. Then He took the punishment that we deserved and brought us home.
While we were in our sins He called us, sometimes gently, sometimes more forcefully. But He kept on calling till we responded, and then He ran to us. He enfolded us in His loving arms and celebrated! Here is the lost sheep! The lost coin! The prodigal son! Heaven rejoiced!
Christ’s steps were to us, now we walk together.
Light of Christ 