Prodigal Son

"God loves you passionately, wholeheartedly and unconditionally. However much you may have messed up in your life, whatever your regrets, it is never too late to turn to God. He will accept you and embrace you as a loving father embraces a lost son."

1. Thank You always for this reminder. Thank You for Your gift of grace.

"Luke 15:1-32

In the parable of the Lost Son, the younger son requests his inheritance while the father is still alive and in good health. In traditional Middle Eastern culture this is equivalent to saying, ‘Father, I am eager for you to die!’ A traditional Middle Eastern father would strike the boy across the face and drive him out of the house. It is an outrageous request, which a father is expected to refuse.

But God does not behave like a traditional, Middle Eastern patriarch. In an act of extraordinary love, the father breaks tradition and gives his son the freedom to sell his portion of the estate (this would have brought shame on the family before the entire community). The son ‘turned it into cash’ (v.13). Then he set off and left the town as quickly as possible.

So many people today, myself included, have experienced what the younger son found while away from his father. He was wasting his life (‘squandered his wealth in wild living’, v.13). ‘He began to hurt’ (v.14, MSG). He was enslaved (‘hired himself out’, v.15). He felt empty inside (‘he longed to fill his stomach with the pods that the pigs were eating’, v.16). He felt alone in this world (‘no one gave him anything’, v.16).

Turning to God is not an irrational act. It is the opposite – ‘he came to his senses’ (v.17). It is the sensible thing to do. The son realised that he needed help. He decides to swallow his pride and go back to his father (v.18). He knew that he needed to go home. He is prepared to admit his sin. He plans to say to his father, ‘I have sinned … I am no longer worthy to be called your son; make me like one of your hired servants’ (vv.18–19).

We need to take a step of faith, ‘So he got up and went to his father’ (v.20). He did not know what would happen. At the time of Jesus, Jews had a method of punishing any boy who lost the family inheritance to Gentiles. If he dared to return, the villagers would bring a large earthenware jar, fill it with nuts and corn and break it in front of the guilty individual. The people would shout that the person was cut off from his people. From then on, the village would have nothing to do with the wayward son.

God’s love is extraordinary, and goes beyond anything that we could ever expect or imagine. Rather than the disgrace the son deserves, he receives forgiveness and love. While the boy is still a long way off, his father sees him. It appears that the father had been waiting and watching, and had never forgotten his son. ‘His heart pounding, he ran out, embraced him, and kissed him’ (v.20, MSG). The word used implies that he kissed him over and over again.

As the son begins his prepared speech of repentance, the father interrupts. He treats him as an honoured guest, giving him the best robe (v.22). He gives him a sign of confidence by putting the family ring on his finger (v.22, MSG). He puts sandals, reserved not for slaves but for sons, on his feet (v.22). He plans a lavish celebration (vv.23–24).

We get a glimpse here of what God is like. Again, we see the picture of the kingdom of heaven being like a party. This is the opposite of what many people think. They do not associate God with music and dancing, feasting and celebrating.

God’s love extends also to the older son who goes into ‘an angry sulk’ (v.28, MSG) and is begrudging of his brother’s forgiveness and acceptance. We can imagine the father putting his arm around him and saying, ‘Son, you don't understand. You’re with me all the time, and everything that is mine is yours – but this is a wonderful time, and we had to celebrate. This brother of yours was dead, and he’s alive! He was lost, and he’s found!’ (vv.31–32, MSG). Through this story that Jesus tells, and his description of God, we reach the pinnacle of God’s revelation of himself.

Father, thank you that you love me so much and when I mess up, you don’t reject me. The moment I repent and come back to you, you accept me and say, ‘Let’s have a feast and celebrate’ (v.23)."

2.  "Thank you that you love me so much and when I mess up, you don’t reject me."

3. Just had a walk around the neighborhood, thank You for reality, for simplicity.