I was driving home from Wichita the other day when a song came on. A song I’ve heard many times before, but the words really hit me that night, and suddenly, I’m crying. DUDE, I am on the highway at night and I cannot see! Would my dumb emotions go away? I need to get home. The chorus comes on again, BAM, more tears. What is this song that has my eyes burning on the I-135? It’s a song by the Rend Collective called “Better Than I Ever Thought”.
The song talks about how much He is desperate for us to come home. The exact words are “Never thought you were desperate for me to come home. Never thought you would wait with the porch light on.” What a beautiful way to think about it. He is our Father. Sometimes I forget how alike He is to our earthly parents, waiting for us to get home safely when we are out.
Last March, the Lord allowed me to experience the longing He has for His lost children. The overwhelming pain He endures waiting for us. Let me tell you, there were a lot more tears and snot than what I experienced on the highway that day. In Luke chapter 15:3-7, Jesus talks about the 99 sheep and the one that went astray. “I tell you that in the same way there will be more rejoicing in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous persons who do not need to repent.” He really is desperate for us to come home.
He places people in the lives of the lost; you’re one of them. The Lord placed you in the life of that one co-worker or that person you were in the elevator with 3 times in a row. You are called to make disciples. Matthew 28:19-20 says, “Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.” As I’m sure you have experienced, this is not as easy as one would hope. A great place to start is prayer, praying over them in your head or out loud. Prayer has so much power, YOU have so much power that you have been given by the Holy Spirit. Use it.
So next time you feel a prompting on your heart to reach out to someone, whether it’s a friend, family member, or even a stranger, remember the longing of the Lord’s heart. He is patiently waiting, porch light on, for His lost children to return. You are a crucial part of that homecoming, empowered by the Holy Spirit to share His desperate love and bring them home.
Blessings,
Audrey Thompson