This month we've been reflecting on the Bible's basic teaching about forgiveness. We've discovered that we can forgive because God forgives us, purely by grace. We've also discovered that the one who is forgiven more, loves more, and that the one who forgives shows God's love.

The Bible has a number of stories about forgiving love. One of the most famous is Jesus' parable about the lost son and the forgiving father. If you are new to Christianity or a seeker of faith, you'll want to read this story in Luke 15:11-32. In this story a son demands his inheritance and spends it all quickly in a distant country. He becomes so poor that he has to feed hogs. He wants to eat the pigs' food, but no one gives him any. He's starving. Then he decides to go back to his father and say, "I have sinned against heaven and against you." Jesus says that when the father sees his son coming, he runs to him, throws his arms around him, and kisses him. This is full, unconditional forgiveness.

Our Father in heaven is waiting with open arms to take you and me in, no matter how great our sins have been. Jesus paid for all our sins. You and I together need the embrace of the Father's arms of love. In God's arms is full, unconditional forgiveness. Let's run together to the Father's arms and enjoy his forgiveness!