HOW UNCONDITIONAL IS HIS UNCONDITIONALITY?

I think conversion has brought in favorite words in my vocabulary, one of these is the word UNCONDITIONAL. Luke 15 is the chapter that is filled with this word. This is the chapter that is filled with the unconditionality of being found parables of the those who were once lost and then found, and a brother in the end who was never redeemed. Let me go to the most loved parable, the parable of the lost son Luke 15:11-32 (other's say it is the father who is the real prodigal and the older brother is really the lost one). The narrative tells us of a father who has a younger son who asked his father for his inheritance and lived a life of his own choosing. The father without a words just gave it and just longed that his son will be back someday. There was also his older son who seemed to be good one and is taking good care of the father's properties. Then, one day the the younger son came back after life became hard and money is all spent. And you know what the father did?

The father’s emotion towards his son is just so unbelievable. He did not require anything to accept back his son. He did not ask for anything more or less of what was just squandered. He just simply accepted him back. No questions like, "are you really sincere? Is this really real?" The son only longed to be like his father's servants, but the father did more than the son has longed for--acceptance without any measure. It was only his presence running towards home. It was only a step going home. Is this serious? Really? As if nothing happened? As if he just did not spend his inheritance for his wishing? Honestly, what the son did was like a curse to his father's life. It's like saying "you should be dead, so give me my inheritance." And then, coming back because he lost everything already, as if nothing happened shameful and disgraceful? YES, the son was accepted as if nothing happened and there was feasting. The father did not follow any protocol to implement the conditionals of forgiveness. The father did not wait for his son to reach his place but instead, He ran to his son. The father violated all the social protocols and cultural norms, and shamed himself just to run to his lost son. The father as a dignified and respected man in the village should never run. He should never lift his robe and his feet will be seen--all these actions are just culturally unacceptable. The son was rugged so the father gave his robe. This is too much for culture to accept. The fattened calf, the feasting were like a serious a father's lavished announcement that his did son is know alive and the fattened calf's blood will be at the doorpost and every guest will step on that blood. This actions means redemption and forgiveness. The father's actions becomes no so complicated.

Culturally we are wired by many dos and don'ts, no's and yes'. Cultural preferences became principles we live by. This father's love is likened into God's love for all of us His rebellious children. All of us in one way or another have demanded from God our independence and freedom to do what is right in our eyes. And then later to our shame we are trapped and we just caused hopeless. Then we stop our story there.

However, this story suggests that there is still another scenario that is possible and is missing in our story. We often forget that God is waiting. God is always waiting for us. And the fattened calf is already killed (Jesus Christ), the feasting is ready. Reading from this story, I don’t need any more proof of the depths and heights of the love of God. I don’t need any more proof of the love of the ability of God to forget our sins and treat us as if we were newly born babies. This parable is enough to show me that, indeed, GOD’S LOVE IS UNCONDITIONAL and NOTHING CAN SURPASS THE UNCONDITIONALITY OF HIS UNCONDITIONALITY. He doesn’t need any reasoning; He only needs you. He doesn’t need your proving; He only needs you.

WOW!!! I don't need no other evidence of the unconditionality of God's unconditionality.

God's love for you and me is just simply UNCONDITIONAL!