Confession on a Wednesday night.

Driving down the two-lane road on the way to church, I asked the Holy Spirit to be with us as we drove to reconciliation. My children in the backseat groaned and moaned, peppering me with the usual questions and comments: “Why?” and “But we just went a few weeks ago!”

With all my heart, I want them to know what a gift reconciliation is. The Creator of the Universe makes a way for us to be forgiven. We don’t deserve it. But His love is reckless. It doesn’t give up on us. There might be a time in their lives when then need to remember to find a sunset and a two lane road and make their way to Reconciliation. How do I tell them?

I gazed out the window – the sun beginning to set over the huge green pasture.

Suddenly, I could see it. The image of a Father standing on a porch, gazing at me. As soon as He spotted us, he was running towards us. I could only see his sandaled feet and a robe flowing behind Him as He ran. He wrapped His arms around my children, laughing and sobbing with joy. He leaned back and looked at them, cupped their faces in His powerful hands and smiled.

No lectures. No guilt trips.

Just joy.

I slowed down and pointed at the field. I told them what I had just imagined. I said, “This is what I want you to know. Every time we sin, we walk further away from God. When we say we are sorry, we stop and face Him. And when we go to Reconciliation with a truly contrite heart, the distance we’ve put between us disappears. We might feel like we have done something really wrong and that He will never take us back, but guess what? He is so happy – so very happy! He runs to meet you! The Creator of the world is so happy to see you, His precious, wonderful, adorable child!”