I’ve joined my blogging friends for a new facet of my blog, called His Encouragement, inspiring scriptures shared each Thursday. My hope and my prayer is that these scriptures each week will bless your heart and encourage your soul.

And he arose, and came to his father. But when he was yet a great way off, his father saw him, and had compassion, and ran, and fell on his neck, and kissed him.

Luke 15:20 KJV

The above scripture is taken from the parable of The Lost Son (or The Prodigal Son). As an author, I can fully appreciate the storyteller side of Jesus. I love how he would tell a story in order to more clearly relay a lesson he wanted someone (usually his disciples) to learn.

Probably my favorite of these parables (stories) is the story of The Prodigal Son, as well as The Lost Coin and The Lost Sheep. My favorite part of this story is found in verse 20, the verse I used above.

“And he arose, and came to his father. But when he was yet a great way off, his father saw him, and had compassion, and ran, and fell on his neck, and kissed him.”

It says that while he was still a great way off, (a long way) his father saw him.

Now, I don’t know about you, but I don’t usually notice something that’s a great way off, unless…

I’m looking for it.

It’s easy to miss the significance of this little detail. His father saw him, what’s the big deal? His father saw him because not only was he was waiting for him to come home… he was watching for him.

The faith of this father astounds me. He was so confident that his son would return home someday that he kept his eyes on the horizon, just knowing that someday he would see the figure of his son appear in the distance.

Have I ever had faith like this? Have I ever prayed for something and had such confidence in God’s answer that I kept a look out for it?

I encourage you today that no matter what it is that you have prayed for, don’t lose faith, the answer may be just about to crest the horizon!

What scripture is encouraging you today? Share it with us!

Check out these other blogs for more encouragement from God’s word for your Thursday.

Nicole @ Christian Fiction Girl

Trisha @ Joy of Reading

Jessica @ A Baker’s Perspective 

Jacquelyn @ A Heavenly Home

Becca @ The Becca Files

Jenny @ Author Jenny Lynn

Rebecca @ Rev. Rebecca Writes