Prodigal Son

In Luke 15:11-32 you'll find the story of the "Lost Son".

In it - a young man, eager for his father to die so that he might go out on his own and start his life with his inheritance, decides to ask his father for his money NOW.

His father agrees and gives him his share of the inheritance right away.  Then the boy immediately leaves home and goes to spend it.  He lives the high life spending the money on today's pleasures.  And he surrounded by friends who enjoy his money more than his company, for when it all runs out, they desert him.  The boy is left wishing he had the scraps of food that are being fed the animals...and he decides to return home, not as a son - but as a servant.

"So he got up and went to his father.  But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and was filled with compassion for him; he ran to his son, threw his arms around him, and kissed him." (Luke 15:20)

I get it.

This morning I am writing to you from West Lafayette, Indiana - HOME OF THE PURDUE BOILERMAKERS, and current home of my son, Max.  And while Max did not demand his inheritance so that he might come to Indiana, I can completely relate to the father, who - upon seeing his son RUNS out to greet him, throws his arms around him, and kisses him.

In this story - God is the father, and every wayward soul that turns back to Him, is that prodigal son.  

Today -  I have a few thoughts about this parable:

1)    I had never thought about this before, but the SON was given his inheritance before he ever left home.  And I guess that is true for us.  Ecclesiastes 3:11 says, "He has made everything beautiful in its time.  He has also set eternity in the human heart; yet no one can fathom what God has done from beginning to end."  God put eternity in our hearts, and has already given us our inheritance (our gift of salvation).  All we need to do is to turn back to him and be welcomed.

2)    The other son, the one who didn't leave - will receive the same inheritance as the younger one who left and then came back.  This is very much like the parable that Jesus tells in Matthew 20 - where a man goes out early in the morning to hire men to work in his vineyard.  He agrees to pay each one a denarius for their labor.  Then four more times he goes out - again at nine, noon, three and five. 

"When evening came, the owner of the vineyard said to his foreman, 'Call the workers and pay them their wages, beginning with the last ones hired and going on to the first.' The workers who were hired about five in the afternoon came in and each received a denarius.  So when those who came who were hired first, they expected to receive more.  But each one of them also received a denarius.  When they received it, they began to grumble against the landowner. 'These who were hired last worked only one hour,' they said, 'and you have made them equal to us who have borne the burden of the work and the heat of the day.'" (Matthew 20:8-12)

It doesn't matter WHEN someone comes into a relationship with GOD, only that they do. The promise of heaven and eternity is the same for all.

3)    Just like the father in the parable, God is not passive in his desire for a renewed relationship with us.  He doesn't just meet us half way.  When we turn back toward him, he RUNS to us with open arms.  

"The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness.  He is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance." (2 Peter 3:9)

4)     And while the older brother was not happy that the father threw a huge banquet for the son who returned - this story along shows that when someone turns to God, there is great rejoicing in heaven..  

"I tell you that in the same way there will be more rejoicing in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous persons who do not need to repent." (Luke 15:7)

This morning I am thrilled to be spending time with Max.  My heart is full.  I can imagine it is the same feeling God gets when we make the effort to spend time with Him.