“So he returned home to his father. And while he was still a long way off, his father saw him coming. Filled with love and compassion, he ran to his son, embraced him, and kissed him.

His son said to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against both heaven and you, and I am no longer worthy of being called your son.’ “But his father said to the servants, ‘Quick! Bring the finest robe in the house and put it on him. Get a ring for his finger and sandals for his feet. And kill the calf we have been fattening. We must celebrate with a feast, for this son of mine was dead and has now returned to life. He was lost, but now he is found.’ So the party began.

Luke 15:20-24 (Please read Luke 15:11-32)

Two sons. One ran away and squandered his inheritance, ultimately returning to his father, ashamed but sorry. The other silently raged against his father’s unfairness, holding resentment close and allowing bitterness to grow. In the end, it wasn’t the “good brother” who sought forgiveness from his father; it was the openly rebellious one. It wasn’t the one who did right in his own eyes; it was the one who wanted to make things right in God’s eyes.

Sometimes we rebel from God out loud and right out it front of people. Other times, we rebel quietly, in our thoughts and in our hearts. In the story of the Prodigal Son we can all relate to both: out in front of others and the quiet rebellion of his legalistic, rule-following brother. Don’t we all take God’s gifts for granted? And don’t we hold resentment when we are “doing things right” while those who don’t, appear to have things handed to them? Sin, whether obvious to others or well-hidden in our hearts, is still sin. God isn’t keeping score of our running away or our quiet resentments. The point of this story is the celebration of grace and love when one lost child returns to the Father. The father is the one in this story most of us struggle to understand, because forgiveness is hard. But it is HIS heart we should strive to imitate—not his sons’.

You are loved unconditionally—no outright rebellion or silent bitterness can keep you from God when you turn your heart away from sin and back to Him. He isn’t just waiting for you, He’s pursuing you! And when you head toward “home”, He will run to meet you! Did you catch that?

He will RUN—with arms open wide ready to hold you close! If you are lost, turn around and be found! Then let the heavenly party begin!! You are so very loved!! 

Lord, through all the generations you have been our home!  Psalm 90:1