Penalty and Pardon

“Esau found no place of repentance, though he sought it carefully with tears.” — Hebrews xii. 17. “I go to prepare a place.” — John xiv. 2.

IT is not said that Esau ‘’ found no repentance,” but that he ‘’’found no place for repentance.” His repentance was abundantly manifest, and with it his forgiveness. But the idea is that repentance did not give him back his lost place in the community of men. You may be forgiven by heaven without being reinstated by earth. David got his punishment after he had been pardoned. There is a comfort in that story. When you are overtaken by just penalty you attribute it to the anger of heaven. You need not do so; you may have been already forgiven. When a man seeks pardon “carefully and with tears,” he will get it instantaneously; there is a place prepared for the penitent in the mansions of the Father.

But there may not be a place ready for him in the mansions of nature. The prodigal has spent his substance in riotous living. He has heard his Father’s voice, and he has come home. But that will not bring back the lost substance. Doubtless there is a ring and a robe awaiting him — the best ring and the best robe. But it is not the old ring and the old robe. He has shattered his first constitution. God will by and by give him a new constitution, but it will not be the former one. Meantime he comes in dilapidation, in squalor, in want. It is an emaciated man that listens to the music and the dancing. He has got his welcome, but as yet he has got nothing more. The songs are in his ear, but the thorn is in his flesh. His Father has embraced and kissed him, but the fruit of his sowing remains.

I thank Thee, O Lord, for Thy revelation of the prodigal! It tells me that Thy welcome may precede my peace. Help me to remember it in my times of c?/.ypeace! When, in answer to my cry for pardon, there seems to come only the just reward of deeds ill-done, help me to remember that the prodigal’s welcome came be-

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fore his glory! When I have lost the old place among men, when I am clothed in rctril)utive rags, when I am bearing the harvest of my own tares, help me to remember that the prodigal was embraced ere he was beautified! I bless Thee for that revelation, O my Father! I bless Thee that my pardon waits not for my peace! I bless Thee that Thy forgiveness lingers not! I bless Thee that Thy mercy is independent of nature’s mercy! The law takes its course on the penitent thief spite of his penitence; but Thy love waits not for the course of the lazv. The cross crucifies him, but Thy Christ first crowns him; earth’s door is closed, but Thy gate first opens; life’s birthright is lost, but Thy Kingdom first comes; and ere the human place has known him no more Thou hast prepared for him a place in Paradise!