Returning home - All The Good Seed Daily Devotionals for 2026

Know therefore and see that it is an evil and bitter thing that you have forsaken the LORD your God, says the LORD God of hosts.
Jeremiah 2:19.

Returning home
A stubborn, self-willed son left home, breaking his father's heart. That mattered little to him: he wanted to lead his own life. This depicts typically those who run away from God, although God has provided for them so well.

Where did he go? "To a far country" (Luke 15:3). He lived riotously, wasted all that he had and ruined his soul. In order to survive he undertook the most degrading work possible. He was hungry, but no-one gave him any food. His father's employees had enough to eat, but he went about in rags and was on the point of starvation.

Wasn't it time to return home? He wondered what he should say. Could he make any excuse for his behaviour? He couldn't defend himself: he had no right to.

Nevertheless he set out for home, even if his father would only take him on as a workman.

"But when 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). The son confessed his sin. The father's response was to embrace his emaciated son in his rags and told his servants: "Bring out the best robe and put it on him" (v. 22).

So today, too, God welcomes every "prodigal son" who returns to Him.

"Return to the LORD. Say to him, Take away all iniquity. I will heal all their backsliding; I will love them freely, for my anger has turned away" (Hosea 14:2.4).

Today's reading: Haggai 2:1-14 · Mark 11:20-33