The parable of the prodigal son is most detailed in the Gospel of Luke in chapter 15 has been a story tugging at my heart so deeply by the Lord. The parable is about a man who has two sons, and one day, the youngest son decides to leave home, and before he leaves home asks for his inheritance from his father. His father graciously gives it to him, and shortly after, he heaves. The youngest son then goes off to wildly spend all his inheritance swiftly and foolishly. Unfortunately for him, hard times hit the land and he has no money, he then goes to work for a fellow citizen, and he is dirt poor. He is so miserable that he envies the food, pigs eat. The youngest son finally has nowhere left to go, and he chooses to attempt to return home to his father. Assuming, his father has disowned him, he begins to practice, his speech and what he will say to his father, but before he could even get close to the door, the father opens the door with astonishing excitement that his son is coming home. He swiftly hugs his son and shows him nothing but love. All while this is going on, the youngest brother is so confused about how he could forgive him so fast. The father is so thrilled his son has come home, he throws the biggest party, with a feast, and clothes his son with the finest robes, sandals, and a ring. While this party is happening, the oldest brother arrives home, and a servant informs him, a party is being thrown for his brother that has finally returned. The oldest brother is furious, as he explains to his father, he has never disobeyed him, or slandered him like his brother, yet has not received any kind of treatment. The father assures him, everything he has is the oldest brother and that he is always with him, and they are to celebrate the return of the brother, who was lost, but now is finally found.
Jesus often taught in parables, and this is by far my favorite parable. Looking at this parable you see such a beautiful story of how God is always waiting for us to come home, and how no matter how far we go, His arms are always open for us to come back home. One of my favorite verses in this story is verse 20, which says “But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and was filled with compassion for him.” While, yes, this could be the father casually around his house, and see his son in the distance, and get excited, I believe the author put that in there for a different reason, I believe the author put that verse in there because the father was waiting on the son to come home. This verse gives me a reason to believe that the father had been standing around and hoping that each day would be the day that the son would return, and how do I know? Because our God is the same way, He is always patiently waiting, longing for us to come home and to be wrapped in His loving arms. He craves it more than anything. He wants to walk with you through it all.
As beautiful of a story as it is, I am not writing this blog post focusing on the younger son, I want to focus on the older brother. The older brother is quite furious when he sees his brother has come home, and there is a party being thrown in his honor, even though he has taken so much from the father, and slandered his name. The father even slays the fattened calf for the youngest brother’s celebration, and the oldest brother could not even get a young calf for his friends and his enjoyment. The brother has been obedient his entire life and is just so confused why did he not get this attention? I would not even say, the brother was upset that his younger brother had come home, that is not the issue. The brother is upset that he is not the one being showered in gifts, and that the younger brother is being celebrated at the highest level.
Frankly, I can understand where the brother is coming from, in fact, I am sure we have all been there asking why are we showing all this love to someone who has done everything wrong and barely even made it home. Why aren’t we celebrating the ones who have had it “right” from the start? Why are we not rewarded for never wondering? I get that, but we all have to have a moment of self-humiliation and realize, it is not about us. It is about the Kingdom of God and expanding His kingdom. God calls us to live as one body of Christ (1st Corinthians 12:27), and the body cannot function if we are not welcoming other members of it home!
It is so easy to judge someone about their past, but we should be celebrating our brothers and sisters who come back home to the Father. We also need to remember how God, loved us when we were sinners, He loved us before we were saved. There was a time in all our lives when we were not serving the Lord, and God had mercy on us and loved us (Romans 5:8). There was a time when I know personally I was lost, a time where I only wanted the blessings of God, and to live with Him like the younger son. But, as followers of Jesus, we cannot live like this. We need to have mercy on those who are lost. We need to pray for our brothers and sisters who need extra help. And when our “younger brother” comes home finally, we need to be there cheering them on, welcoming them home because I assure you that is what Heaven is doing! Scripture states to love and to be compassionate towards one another, and to forgive as the Father has forgiven us and that if we do not forgive others, He will not forgive us (Ephesians 4:32, Luke 6:37)
We NEED to love our “younger brothers" in our lives, even the ones who have not come home yet. We need to show them the love of Christ, care for them, how we are waiting for them to celebrate them, and above else, we need to pray for them. Pray that their eyes be open, pray that they would come home, pray that they would know God and their eternity is way more important than these Earthly desires, that will fade away because we are all going to face God on judgment day and it will be too late to come home at that point. I pray for all those who are reading this blog and constantly keep thinking of one person, I pray for them and that they would come home. I pray for the viewer who has a “younger brother” that you would never give up on them, and you would keep showing them love and compassion. I pray that you, viewer, know you are loved more than you can even imagine by God. I pray for any prodigal son, who is reading this, that You would come home to the father, it does not matter who you are, or what you have done, He is waiting with arms wide open to hug YOU! I just thank You, Father, that You are so good. I thank You, Father, that you are compassionate, and You do not stray from the lost, and that You pursue us constantly, even when we don't deserve it, there is no one like You! God, I pray this blog would speak to someone, and that they see this as their sign to ask for forgiveness, repent, and return home to You.
Hope you all have a blessed day,
Barrett
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