God receives sinners

And he said unto him, Lord, thou knowest all things; thou knowest that I love thee. John 21:17

Though this says something about Peter, who was able to appeal to the omniscience of Christ as a witness to his love for him (could you do this?), yet this really says much more about Christ than it does Peter. For it shows us that a man who had betrayed the Lord could appeal to him and to his love for him, and expect this appeal to be received with a reciprocated love and acceptance. Think about how people often treat each other. If one person sins against another, especially if the sin has hurt the other in significant ways, how easily do they forgive and readily receive the love of those who have sinned against them?

And yet this is how God receives us. He is gracious and loving. Even when we have betrayed him, he does not rebuff our repentance and renewed love, but welcomes us back into his arms. The Parable of the Prodigal Son (Luke 15) is such a good picture of this. We are all like the prodigal son. How like the father our God is, who waits with eagerness for our return and runs to meet us when we repent?

My friend, if you have sinned against God and wonder if he will receive you, the Bible is clear: he will. Run to him through faith in his Son, and you will run into the arms of a loving Father.