“Long have I waited for your coming back to me and living deeply our new life.”

We sing these touching words and again I am astonished at the image of our God wanting me with Him for all time… wanting us all and keeping His eye on our journey. Watching for us, even searching for us when we get lost along the way, like Jesus describes the good shepherd does.

In the prodigal son parable Jesus tells a story with this same image of a waiting  father watching the horizon for his estranged son. In my lonely wanderings away from God, I was not abandoned, but felt forgotten. I look back and see depression’s distorted thinking clouded everything that could have helped me see God’s love for me.

Don’t let me close my eyes to other depressed souls who feel lonely and forgotten by God. They may sit down by me at church this Sunday or they may move into Episcopal Place this week. Let me look beyond myself to them, like You do, Jesus.