The Spiderwick Chronicles: Jared the Prodigal

"I don't want to live with you! I hate you!"

That was the last thing that Jared Grace told his mother. Since then, he's nearly spent the rest of his life in the land of ghosts, been attacked by goblins, and barricaded himself and his family in his house. He's finally won -- the evil ones are vanquished -- but there's still something to say.

"I'm sorry," he says, almost whimpering now.

His mother says that no, she's sorry for not believing him about goblins and brownies.

Jared persists. "I'm sorry, and, I want to live here...if that's okay."

"If that's okay?" she echoes incredulously. For she never had any qualms with taking back her son, however much his anger takes him at times.

Yet that is who we are. We have scorned God and His gift of forgiveness. Of course we come back and say we're sorry, but sometimes, deep in our hearts, we wonder if that is enough. We wonder if, this time, God's finally had enough.

What we forget is that God is always echoing, incredulously, "If that's okay?" He wants us back, never had any thoughts of pushing us away because of sin. The debt is paid, and His love for us is stronger than Jared's mother was for him.

Just as the thought of sending Jared away because of what he'd said was unimaginable to his mother, so is God's heart toward us. Never forget that.