For this son of mine was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found. So they began to celebrate. - Luke 15:24
One of my favorite passages in all of scripture is the parable of the Prodigal. It is such a reminder of the radical faithfulness of our Heavenly Father.
There was a man who had two sons and he was to one day give all that he had to them. But the younger of the sons demanded his inheritance from his father immediately. He wanted his share of the estate and he wanted it now. In Biblical times this request was the equivalent to a death wish — he wanted his Father dead so he could take the money. And in verse 13 it says “not many days later, the younger son gathered everything together and went on a journey to a distant country and there he squandered his estate in wild living.”
The son chased all this world had to offer — he spent his father’s money on every vice under the sun. He chose to trade his sonship for the temporal satisfactions of this world. Everything he thought that could ever give him life, he tried. And once he had spent everything, a severe famine came upon the land and he lost it all. He had absolutely nothing.
So often I read this story and think of I would never do this. I would never choose a temporal “reward” at the expense of a relationship with the person who loves me the most. But truth is, I’ve already done it. One too many times. Isaiah 53:6 says that “All of us, like sheep, have gone astray, Each of us has turned to his own way; But the Lord has caused the wrongdoing of us all to fall on Him.” I have rejected my Heavenly Father and chosen time and time again to go my own way. I am the prodigal son.
Maybe that’s exactly where you find yourself today as well. But the story isn’t over. And neither is yours.
In verse 17 the prodigal son “came to his senses.” He realized his desperate need for his father. He realized that the temporary pleasures of this world left him empty. And he began the trek back home. Riddled with shame and regret, maybe his father would accept him as a hired hand, make him work the fields to earn his favor again! But he missed the biggest truth of all — he thought he traded his sonship, but that wasn’t possible. It was unconditional, because he had a faithful father.
It says in verse 20 “when he was still a long way off, his father saw him and felt compassion for him and ran and embraced him and kissed him.” His father didn’t wait for him to make it to the porch. He didn’t allow him to take another step in his self imposed walk of shame. He ran to him. He embraced him. He met him right where he was at. Because he loved him and he is faithful.
No matter what you’ve done, no matter where you’ve been, the moment you turn around, you’re no further from home than you’ve ever been. His grace is waiting to embrace you with open arms. The debt has already been paid at the foot of the Cross. You are a son, you are a daughter of the King. And no one can ever take that away from you. So run to your Father today. He’s closer than you think, because he is faithful.
