By: Carole L. Haines 

Have you ever been lost in the woods? I have; and it is quite frightening to lose your way. I didn’t even leave the pathway; I just made a wrong turn on the path because I had no trail map with me. I was lost for a couple of hours, wandering around in those woods. I had no compass and cell phones had not been invented yet either. I had nothing to give me a sense of where I was.  
I began crying and praying for God to help me find my way out. Suddenly I began to hear traffic in the distance. That means there is a road nearby. God told me to move toward that sound. I immediately turned left, directly into the woods. This time I was leaving the path, but with purpose. I was moving toward the sound of the traffic. What had been hours of wandering suddenly became moments of directed walking and out I came onto the road. I went to the nearest house and the couple inside kindly gave me a ride back to my car. I nearly kissed that car.  

Therefore, the Lord longs to be gracious to you, and therefore He waits on high to have compassion on you. For the Lord is a God of justice; How blessed are all those who long for Him. (Isaiah 30:18 NASB) 

I’ve been feeling a little lost spiritually recently. I just feel distant and parched, like I am wandering in a spiritual desert. I prayed to Jesus, asking His forgiveness for wandering. “Please help me find my way back to You, Dear King. I miss You.” 

I immediately heard His whisper in my spirit. “Just move toward me, just turn around and come back toward me, Carole. Come back to Me, I’m right here.” 

Immediately peace flooded my heart, and I was filled with hope. It reminded me of the story of the prodigal son found in the gospel of Luke. I went back and re-read that familiar parable of Jesus as I sat down to write this morning. Just look at the beautiful response of the father to his wayward son returning.

²⁰ So he set out and came to his father. But when he was still a long way off, his father saw him and felt compassion for him, and ran and embraced him and kissed him.  (Luke 15:20NASB) 

Behold the heart of our heavenly Father. While we are sometimes a long way off, He sees us, feels compassion for us, runs and embraces us with His Kiss. Are you feeling a bit far from God lately, like me? Simply turn around and move toward Him. He will respond to you as the father did to his prodigal son coming home. Come and receive His embrace, His kisses, His love.