The Prodigal Son
In the Bible, Jesus tells the story of a man whose son demands that he be given his inheritance so that he can go out on his own. The father reluctantly gives his son his own livelihood and watches as the boy goes off into the world. The father knew that this was not about the money; it was about a son rejecting the father’s love.
As the story goes, the young man travels to a faraway land. There, he spends his money quickly. Of course, when the money is gone the good times are gone. When the good times are gone so are the friends. Now, we find the boy with no money, friends, or food. He has to take a job feeding pigs and wishing that he could eat the pig slop. Finally, one day he decides to go home and ask the father for forgiveness.
The Father Waits
Now you may think this story is about the prodigal son. But it is not. The story is actually about the father. As soon as the boy left, his father began to watch and pray for his son to come home. He stood at the gate day after day. He looked and longed to see his little boy coming down the road. Finally, the day comes when the the father sees his son coming home. The old man, with tears in His eyes, runs to meet His boy. With hugs and kisses, He welcomes him home.
You know, on second thought, this story is not about the old man. It is about God and you. Maybe, like the boy, you have rejected the Father and His love. Maybe you have taken your life and wasted it. Perhaps you have found yourself in the hog pen of life. You have discovered that hog slop doesn’t taste so good.
Here is the good news. Our Father in Heaven has been waiting. He has been watching and longing for you to come home. He is waiting to receive you with open arms. Won’t you leave the pigs and come to the Father? I can see Him now, when you start walking toward Him, He will come running to you. He will clothe you in His righteousness and feed you from His table. You know He loves you, pig slop breath and all.
“For thus says the Lord God, the Holy One of Israel: “In returning and rest you shall be saved; In quietness and confidence shall be your strength.” But you would not, Therefore the Lord will wait, that He may be gracious to you; And therefore He will be exalted, that He may have mercy on you. For the Lord is a God of justice; Blessed are all those who wait for Him. For the people shall dwell in Zion at Jerusalem; You shall weep no more. He will be very gracious to you at the sound of your cry; When He hears it, He will answer you.”
Isaiah 30:15, 18-19 NKJV
https://bible.com/bible/114/isa.30.15-19.NKJV
Douglas & Deborah Huff
From Down Where the Pavement Ends
email-douglas@pavementendsministry.com
“Who is a God like You, Pardoning iniquity And passing over the transgression of the remnant of His heritage? He does not retain His anger forever, Because He delights in mercy. He will again have compassion on us, And will subdue our iniquities. You will cast all our sins Into the depths of the sea.”
Micah 7:18-19 NKJV
