The Queen’s proclamation.

During the war between the states in America, President Lincoln was often asked, “When the fighting ends and the Southern States are forced to return to the Union, how are you going to treat those rebels?” Without hesitation Lincoln replied, “I am going to treat them as if they had never been away!”

Mr. Lincoln did not live to implement that intention. He was assassinated. Had his generous and forgiving attitude prevailed, no doubt the wounds which date back to that time would have been healed much sooner.

The fifteenth chapter of Luke (which, incidentally, might be called the Bible’s “Lost and found department” because of the succession of lost and found stories) relates how a young man left his family and squandered his inheritance in the fast lane of society. The day dawned, however, when this youth came to his senses and decided to return home, flat broke. “I cannot go as a son,” he mused, “for I have disgraced the family; I will seek to return as a servant.”

               “How are you going to treat your younger son when he returns?” someone no doubt asked the father. His reply, “I am going to treat him as if he had never been away!”

That prodigal playboy hardly hoped for such a reception. On the homeward journey he thought up a plan that he would use and may well have rehearsed in his mind over and over: “Father, I have sinned against both heaven and you, and I am no longer worthy of being called your son. Please take me on as a hired servant.” (Luke 15:18-19 NLT.)

The father permitted this distraught youth to make his confession, but as soon as the son sobbed it out he heard the words, “Bring forth the best robe, and put it on him.” The father was determined to treat the boy as if he had never been away. Only the best robe would suffice. “Put a ring on his hand, and shoes on his feet: and bring hither the fatted calf and kill it,” he ordered.

The reception given to the returning prodigal illustrates God’s welcome for any returning sinner. As God Himself declared “I—yes, I alone—will blot out your sins for my own sake and will never think of them again.” (Isaiah 43:25.NLT.) The words ‘for My own sake’ hint at the immense pleasure He takes in the redemption of His people. God receives rebels as if they had never rebelled. He receives sinners as if they had never sinned!

But for God to receive us, we must return to Him. “Let the wicked change their ways and banish the very thought of doing wrong. Let them turn to the Lord that he may have mercy on them. Yes, turn to our God, for he will forgive generously.” (Isaiah 55:7NLT)

A wretched man shivered in the London fog one day in 1877. He had been a fugitive for years, scared by his own shadow. Suddenly he spied a large placard. His whole appearance changed as he read: BY THE QUEEN – a Proclamation for extending to soldiers who may have deserted from our land forces.” The proclamation declared that Queen Victoria, to mark 50 years of her reign, extended pardon to all her soldiers who might have deserted, providing they would report within two months. A list of commanding officers and their addresses followed. Deserters were urged to contact one of these officials at once. The proclamation ended with the words, “And we do hereby make further declaration that every offender herein referred to who shall not avail himself of the pardon we now graciously offer shall be held amenable to all pains and penalties provided under the army act. Given at our court at Windsor, the 17t of June 1887, in the fiftieth year of our reign.”

God proposes to treat sinners as if they had never sinned. But in order to receive this redemption, sinners must accept it, and they must accept it while it remains available for them. “Indeed, the “right time” is now. Today is the day of salvation.” (2 Cor 6:2 NLT)

Postscript: There are in fact three prodigals in this story. Prodigal means ‘waster’ or ‘Lavish spender’. The older son was wasting his father’s love. However, the third prodigal is the father. He goes out in search of the older brother and entreats him. The elder brother was also in the far country – on the inside. He was in darkness and was unaware of it. His was a legal obedience which was worth nothing.  But the third prodigal is the father who lavishes his love on both (and us.) Nobody can love God until they believe that God loves them. Repentance will never make us see God, but seeing Christ will make us repent.