Midway in August

In Luke 15:11-32, Jesus tells a parable about a man who had two sons. The younger of the sons told his father that he wanted his inheritance. In other words, he basically said: “I can’t wait for you to die; give me what is coming to me now.” The man complied and split his livelihood between his two sons. Soon thereafter, the younger son took his possessions and traveled far away. There he spent all he had in wasteful living. If the older brother’s accusation was true, this would have included spending his money on prostitutes (v. 30). Afterward, a famine afflicted the area where he lived. The younger son found himself without money or food to eat. He “joined himself” to a citizen of the country and was sent to the fields to feed the pigs. He was so hungry that he would have eaten the food he was feeding the pigs. No one had compassion on him or helped him.

Sometimes we must hit rock bottom to look up and find help from God. To the Jew, pigs are an abomination. Feeding the pigs was the lowest this man could go. He found rock bottom in his desire to eat with the pigs. His money was gone. His friends were gone. The fun was over, and the price tag of his sin looked down its snout at him.

He came to himself. Down there with the pigs, he did some soul searching. He realized the value of what he had left behind when he deserted his father. He realized that even the hired servants his father had were able to live with plenty to eat, while he was starving. He felt the shame of his sin. He could not return to his father as a son, but maybe his father would hire him as a servant. He began to rehearse the speech he would make as he entreated his father to take him back as a servant: “Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you, and I am no longer worthy to be called your son. Make me like one of your hired servants” (Luke 15:18b-19).

How many times had the father searched the horizon hoping to see the silhouette of his son coming home? How his heart must have ached to watch him leave! How his heart must have yearned to see his son come home. Now, as he looks once more, his heart leaps for joy! There he is! He is coming home! He runs to the forlorn figure of his son. He embraces and kisses him. As the father hears his son’s prepared speech, he cannot bear to hear the words, “I am no longer worthy to be called your son.” He interrupts with a joyful shout: “Bring the best robe! Put a ring on his finger and sandals on his feet! Let’s have a party! My son was dead and is alive! He was lost, but now he is found!”

God is your Father. No matter where you have been. No matter what you have done. You can always come home! Is it time you came to your senses?

With love, Michael