If he had been a cruel father--if he had had no regard for his
children, he would have allowed this abandoned son to have remained,
and conducted as he pleased. He would have made no effort to protect
his children, and to promote their joy.
And is it not kind in our heavenly Father to resolve that those who
will not obey his laws shall be for ever excluded from heaven? He
loves his virtuous and obedient children, and will make them perfectly
happy. He never will permit the wicked to mar their joys and degrade
their home. If God were an unkind being, he would let the wicked go
to heaven. He would have no prison to detain them. He would leave the
good unprotected and exposed to abase from the bad. But God is love.
He never thus will abandon his children. He has provided a strong
prison, with dungeons deep and dark, where he will hold the wicked,
so that they cannot escape. The angels in heaven have nothing to fear
from wicked men, or wicked angels. God will protect his children from
all harm.
Our Father in heaven is now inviting all of us to repent of our sins,
and to cultivate a taste for the joys of heaven. He wishes to take us
to his own happy home, and make us loved members of his own
affectionate family. And every angel in heaven rejoices, when he sees
the humblest child repent of sin and turn to God. But if we will not
be obedient to his laws; if we will not cultivate in our hearts those
feelings of fervent love which glow and burn in the angel's bosom; if
we will not here on earth learn the language of prayer and praise, God
assures us that we never can be admitted to mingle with his happy
family above.
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