scanning the horizon

Friday March 15^th, Luke 15: 20-21 "When he was still a long way off, his father saw him. His heart pounding, he ran out, embraced him, and kissed him. The son started his speech: 'Father, I've sinned against God, I've sinned before you; I don't deserve to be called your son ever again.'  22-24 "But the father wasn't listening. He was calling to the servants, 'Quick. Bring a clean set of clothes and dress him. Put the family ring on his finger and sandals on his feet. Then get a grain-fed heifer and roast it. We're going to feast!  I like the “Message” translation of this passage.  The father wasn't listening!!  The rehearsed plea smacked more of scam than repentance, just like most of our confessions in worship.  The father was after repentance, change in life, turning around, and if the wayward one was not quite ready, perhaps a bit more grace would bring it about.  In real life I have a hard time following in the father’s footsteps. I always seem to be putting my foot in my mouth before I realize how far afield I have wandered in my life and with that knowledge offering up another helping of grace.  But then in real life, the trip from the pig pen to the banquet table can take years and years, and sometimes there are several round tips. The trip to the far country is what happens in the meantime, and sometimes it is indeed a mean time.  It is good to keep the vision of the grace filled banquet before us.  It helps us focus less on the insincere repentance we have all brought forth from time to time in our lives, and our insincere repentance for waiting so long to accept this banquet of grace.  As for me, I am still scanning the horizon, and sometimes what comes over the hill looks an awful lot like me.