Moved with compassion – over a loser - All The Good Seed Daily Devotionals for 2026

And he arose and came to his father. But while he was still a great way off, his father saw him and had compassion, and ran and fell on his neck and kissed him.
Luke 15:20

Moved with compassion – over a loser
“A certain man had two sons. And the younger of them said to his father, ‘Father, give me the portion of goods that falls to me.’” Thus begins the well-known parable of the prodigal son. The son essentially declares his father dead, wanting to collect his inheritance and leave his father. In doing so, the son loses his place in his father’s house. It doesn’t take long for him to lose all his possessions because he wastes his money and lives extravagantly. When a famine arises, he seeks help from a farmer who sends him to feed pigs. By this, he also loses his self-respect. The young man longs to eat at least some of the pig food, but even that is denied him. No one gives him anything – he loses trust in people. Finally (thanks be to God!), he loses his wilfulness and his shame. He wants to return home and say to his father: “Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you.” And then he returns.

While he is still afar off, his father sees him (he must have been watching for him) and is moved with compassion. He runs to his downtrodden son and embraces him. What love for a loser! And his son confesses everything to him.

Aren’t we all losers? We have turned our backs on God, perhaps losing friends, the love of a spouse, and our self-respect in the process.

But there is God, full of love and mercy, like the father of the prodigal son. He waits for losers to come to Him, to repent and confess – and He embraces them. Unbelievable!

This parable, told by the Lord Jesus, is found in the Gospel of Luke, chapter 15, verses 11–24.

Today’s reading: 2 Chronicles 2:10-18 · 2 Timothy 1:1-8