Most of us are familiar with the parable of the Prodigal Son.
Which one of the brothers do you relate to the most?
Perhaps, you relate more to the Father because you have a prodigal child.
Over the next two weeks, I want to look at these two very different sons and their unique struggles.
The younger son comes to his Dad and says, “Give me my inheritance.”
So, the Father divides his possessions between them.
Note that they both get their inheritance.
The younger one travels to a distant land and spends it all on wine and women.
When his resources are gone, he hires himself to a man who has him feed his pigs.
He looks at the pigs’ food and longs to eat it because his boss isn’t even offering to feed him.
He comes to his senses and remembers how his father at least feeds his servants decent food.
So, he decides to return home to ask to be his father’s servant.
While he is far off, his father sees him, feels compassion and runs to embrace and kiss him.
The son humbly apologizes and asks to be his servant, but his father ignores him and orders a change of clothes that symbolize sonship and calls for the fattened calf to be killed and a party held.
The Father rejoices in his son’s return and wants nothing more than to celebrate his son’s rebirth.
This is indeed a beautiful depiction of God’s love and grace toward all of us.
But, how many prodigals believe that they’ve messed up so bad that they cannot come home because of their sins?
Beloved, there is nothing that will make Father God run from you.
He longs to run toward you.
But, you must first turn around and start heading toward Him.
Coming home for the prodigal meant first turning away from sin and heading back to his Father.
He didn’t expect a party; he felt so unworthy; he didn’t understand grace.
Grace frees us from the trap of performance based acceptance.
Beloved, if we are in Christ, we are always accepted by the Father by His grace.
He is always looking to extend His grace to anyone willing to turn from sin and come home to Him no matter what they have done.
He doesn’t make any of us second class Christians either.
He makes us all full fledged sons and daughters and celebrates our return to Him.
Never stop praying for your prodigals. Be ready to celebrate their return!
Blessings!
Robyn Henning