Jump Start # 178 

Luke 15:17 “But when he came to his senses, he said, ‘How many of my father’s hired men have more than enough bread, but I am dying here with hunger!”

  Our passage today is taken from the parable of the Prodigal Son—one the greatest, if not the greatest, lessons Jesus ever taught. The parable shows the grace, love and forgiveness of God. It is a photograph in words of God. This is what God looks like. I love this story. I see my self in this. I long to be like the father but generally act like one of the sons.

  Two lessons today from this incredible parable. First, the father let the son go. That is amazing. The son came with demands, ‘Father, give me my share…’ That was bold, offensive and way out of line. In essence his demand said, ‘I know I’m going to get it some day, but I can’t wait for you to die, so let me have it now.’ The father had ever reason and right to say ‘No.’ The father had ever reason to ask ‘what do you plan to do with the money?’ But he gave it. And then he watched his son take off for the far country. The prodigal’s heart was in the far country long before he took that first step out of his house. I believe the father knew that. He didn’t stand in the way. He let him go. I expect the son was nearly running down the road with a big smile on his face, as the father had tears running down his cheeks. This is hard for parents. I don’t know if I could have done this without at least trying to talk him out of it one more time. Remember, this parable isn’t about parenting…it’s about salvation. Beyond parenting, remember, God lets us go as well. He sees us reaching for wrong, choosing wrong, thinking wrong, desiring wrong and He lets us go. Often we do these things with a smile on our face as tears race down the cheeks of God. Why doesn’t God stop us? He tries. His word is powerful. It tells of the promises and blessings of God. It warns of the dangers and consequences of sin. But our Father lets us go. We can be stubborn!

  The second lesson is that the prodigal knew his father. Broke, friendless, desperate he remembers home. He realizes that the servants were living better than he was, and he was a son. He remembered how generous his father was. His father was a good man. Thoughts of his father pulled him back home. I wonder if this is where we fall and fail sometimes. The prodigal understood his father. He didn’t know for sure what the reaction would be nor what his status would be, but he knew he could go home. Often we don’t. We fear going home. God won’t like me anymore we think. God won’t forgive me, we think. Not really knowing God keeps us out in the far country—hopeless and helpless. We want to go home, but we are afraid. And what we fear the most is our Father.

  If we had a relationship with our Father, like the prodigal did, things would be different. If we only knew how much he longs for us to return to Him, how forgiving He is and how generous He is, we would race home. We’ve made a mess, that’s for sure. We’ve trashed relationships and dwelt among the pigs so long that we understand the nature of pigs more than we do our own Father. God wants you back. God wants you worshipping this Sunday in His house among His people. God wants you to open your heart and read His word. He wants you to walk in righteousness and holiness. He made you for better things than what you are doing now. You aren’t a servant, you’re His son. He doesn’t expect you to live in the barn, but to sit at the table with Him.

  Once you’ve come back home and realize how good things are, you really don’t want to leave again. Do you know your Father? He knows you. And even after that, He still loves you. Even when we smell like the pigs, He loves us. He never gives up and He never quits. Even today, He is looking for you.

  You belong home…why not start today!

Roger