This is one of the most interesting stories in the Bible to read. Along with King David and all his sins, adultry and murder but yet God said David had a heart after God's own heart.
So I am conviced that God knew before hand what David's sins were going to be before he committed them, but at the same time God also knew David's heart and that he would repent of all his sins and return back serving him faithfully and completely.

God loves those that serve him faithfully and are obedient unto him. The same as this man's one son did, he was faithful to his father on earth and stayed with him and worked every day. Therefore his father told him even after the other son returned home, all that I have is yours. But he never stopped loving the other son who left and thought that the world had more to offer him and make him a happier man. I am sure that this Father worried quite a bit about his son that had gone astray. I am sure he prayed every day for his son to return. The same as Jesus does for all of us who go astray, he is always interceding for us before the Father in Heaven for us to return back unto him.

God loves us all the same, but those that remain faithful and obedient unto him will be rewarded much more. The same with over my life I have heard people say they will come to the Lord when they are ready, but that is foolish thinking on man's part. Because I believe that there is a reason why God through his Holy Spirit calls us all unto repentance whenever he chooses. We have the promises of God, healing,deliverance,restoration and blessings given to us once we yield when God calls us.
We go through alot of heartache and pain in our life, and I believe that we cause some of it to happen. Had we just yielded when God called us to start with then some things would have never happened to us. But even then, when one ignores the call of God, if we are truely sorry and repent to God for our sins then he will in no wise cast us away. He will hear us and accept us as one of his children.

It is not always like we plan it to be either, we can ignore God and maybe through a trial we will become humble and call upon him and he will hear us. But it would be terrible to ignore God and soon thereafter we face death in a sudden way and don't get to call upon God for repentance. I have often thought about that too.

I have 2 sons of my own, I love them both the same. If one should serve the Lord and the other go astray, then my love would still be the same for them. But if my lost son years later came back and served the lord with all his heart then I too would rejoice and be happy. This world is cruel and there is many things and people who would love to keep our loved ones unsaved and blinded, it is really a miracle when one goes so far out in sin and one day realizes that they are lost and need a saviour to forgive them.