Posts Tagged: the parable of the prodigal son

“LET’S PARTY!”

On July 24, 2018 by Dteb With 0 Comments - down to earth believer

“His son said to him, ’Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you; I no longer deserve to be called your son.’ But his father ordered his servants, ’Quickly bring the finest robe and put it on him; put a ring on his finger and sandals on his feet. Take the fattened calf and slaughter it. Then let us celebrate with a feast, because this son of mine was dead, and has come to life again; he was lost, and has been found.’ Then the celebration began.” (Luke 15:21-24)

The son seems to have been expecting only bare acceptance as a hired hand (verse 17), but he received an abundantly joyous welcome—indeed, a party—as a son.  We always tend to underestimate God.  The runaway son was expecting merely enough food to keep him from starving.  Instead, he was the guest of honor at a feast.

This son, this son, who had demanded his share of the inheritance, even though his father was still alive, this son, came draggin’ his sorry butt back home, begging for mercy.

I am that son.  So are you—or daughter, as the case may be.

And what do we expect?  Mere acceptance, perhaps.  If we’re lucky.

And what do we experience?  God’s glad embrace and kisses.  Words of affirmation.  A wild party at which we are the guests of honor.

We talk a lot about the unconditional love of God, but we have no real idea.  The parable of the Father’s lavish love for his runaway son (and the stay-at-home son as well), should shove us in the direction of a better view of God’s love.  Sometimes, stories like this succeed in getting people to run, walk, or crawl in that general direction.

And then, there is the redemptive love of Jesus, as shown on the cross.

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