Introduction

Dr. Sandra Wilson begins her book, Into Abba's Arms with this startling story.

Have you ever known people who seem to have holes in their souls? Nothing seems to satisfy these people for long - no sensation, no achievement, or relationship. That's how it was for Claire.

For as far back as Claire could remember, her cold angry mother told her that she was ugly and that no man would ever love her. Those repeated comments poked holes in Claire's soul. So the love and approval Claire did receive from friends and even from her father kept leaking away in a sense of rejection. The truth of her unique worth and keen intellect trickled out of Claire's awareness, leaving her parched for attention and affection.

Soon after finishing college, Claire met Karl, a handsome intelligent older man. When he expressed a romantic interest in her, Claire was astonished and head over heels grateful. Though she had known Karl only for a few months, she eagerly accepted his proposal of marriage.

Immediately after their simple wedding, they moved across the country from New England to Arizona. Claire was thrilled when she got pregnant a year or so later. But her joy turned to dismay when Karl insisted that she have an abortion, especially since that was decades before abortion was legalized. Claire convinced Karl that she would never go to an abortionist. Before too long he had staged several gun cleaning "accidents" that nearly killed Claire and their unborn child. Claire was terrified and confused, not knowing any reason for her husband to behave as he did. As it turned out, Claire didn't know a lot of things about Karl.

Claire didn't know that before he met her, Karl had abandoned a wife and several children and had embezzled money in a scheme that involved the postal service. Those charade shattering facts came to light when Federal Authorities caught up with Karl at the very time he was trying to kill Claire. Stunned by the devastating new information about Karl, she watched in shock as he was arrested, convicted, and imprisoned.

Claire never saw Karl again. She destroyed all his photographs and letters. So the child the child he abandoned before birth never met her father, never heard his voice, never saw his picture or even a scrap of his handwriting.

At that point in her writing, Dr. Wilson said, "I am that child. A child born into a legacy of abandonment and shame."

With this story and the familiar Bible story often called the "Parable of the Prodigal Son" I want us to consider abandonment and love. I want us to think about this from the perspective of our own relationships, good and bad, including how this background relates to our concepts of God.

I. Abandonment

The familiar Bible story we read today is a story of abandonment. In this story, however, it is a son who abandons his Father. The son treats his father as though he were dead. All he seems to want from his father is his money. Reluctantly the Father gives his son the money that would be his inheritance. The young man not only abandoned his family, but apparently abandoned the principles with which he was brought up.

The details may be different, but similar stories of abandonment happen in our days, too.

We probably all know of kids who have abandoned their parents, of fathers and mothers who have abandoned their children, of husbands who have abandoned their wives and of wives who have abandoned their husbands. This breaks my heart and it certainly breaks God's heart.

Even some of those who are blessed to grow up in loving homes may have some sense of abandonment. This may have come about as a result of classmates or another group of people with which we did not feel like we belonged. You may have felt abandoned by a special person of the opposite sex. Some have a sense of abandonment not getting chosen to be on a team or not getting the job you wanted.

Last week I mentioned that my speaking about our concept of God was somewhat prompted by my preparation for teaching in Nicaragua a few years ago. As I taught Christian leaders a proper biblical understanding of God I needed to deal with some misconceptions of God. Because of the history of the Nicaraguans, one of the issues I had to address is the Fatherhood of God. Through the years in our country, I have also encountered a number of people who had been abandoned by or for other reasons had a poor relationship with their father. This can often color one's concept of God.

In Nicaragua, many biological fathers have abandoned their children. This problem began 500 years ago as Spanish male prisoners were brought to the area now known as Nicaragua. The criminal and immoral value system was the basis of this new culture in which these men fathered many children with a number of women. Generally this father had no intention of accepting these children as his own and took little or no responsibility for providing for them. While some of the children lived with the hope that someday their father would give them their rights as his child, in reality it was an unreachable goal. The majority of these children were abandoned.

This cultural history still has an influence on family life in Nicaragua today. Many children continue to be born out of wedlock and many have a negative view of men and fathers.

Yet the Good News of the Gospel is that God has NOT abandoned us. Our Heavenly Father has not abandoned us. Instead God loves us.

II. Love

Regardless of what kind of experience people have had with their father, I want to help people to realize that our heavenly Father loves us. That is central to the Gospel. While we were yet sinners, Our Heavenly Father sent His Son to die for us. Our heavenly Father loves us. He did not abandon us. This is what God has called me to preach and teach.

Earlier we read a story that Jesus told. For many years I have chosen to call it by another name. I usually call it the Parable of the Loving Father. Yes, we do find in the story a prodigal son who abandoned his father. But the wonderful part of the story is that despite what the son did, his father continues to love him and longs for his wayward son to return home. What a great picture of our Heavenly Father. All of us need the love of our heavenly Father and His Son who gave His life for us.

This week we have the holiday of Valentines Day. We may think about that special person we love. For some, such love has not been experienced. Others may have thought they were loved, but they were left heart broken and abandoned. Love is sometimes merely emotions and sentimentality, without permanence.

Conclusion

Like the father in Jesus' parable, He is waiting in love for those who have left, to return. He also continues to love the ones who faithful remain at his side. While we may experience some earthly relationships that are lacking, our Heavenly Father does not abandon us and loves us very much. Have you repented of your sin and accepted Jesus as your personal Savior?

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