The story of the Prodigal Son is probably one of the best known of Jesus’ parables.  Here’s a link to Luke’s account of the story. Although growing up, surely many of my Sunday School teachers taught it, and I no doubt heard many sermons preached from the text, somehow I missed the key point of the story every time I heard it!  It seems that all those years, rather than pay close attention as my Sunday School teachers were teaching or pastors were preaching about this dad and his too-big-for-his-britches-son, I must have let my imagination escape on its weekly outing into uncharted territory.  I say that because several years ago while reading this scripture, I saw for the very first time that this parable was directed at God’s people! (I know, right now you’re probably saying “Duuuhhh!”) Here’s what the Lord graciously showed me that day when I paused to ponder.

Jesus was hanging out with sinners, and the self-righteous Pharisees and scribes were miffed about it.  Luke 15:2&3 says “so He spoke this parable to THEM (the religious leaders).  Now I realize that those of us who were raised in Sunday School tend to think of the Pharisees and scribes as the bad guys, but we can’t forget that they were part of God’s chosen people!  It was the “lost sheep of the house of Israel” (see Matthew 15:24) that Jesus came for.  So as I read the parables in Luke 15 again, I realized that Jesus was speaking to them as people already a part of God’s House—the house of Israel.  No doubt Jesus considered the scribes and Pharisees to be lost sheep like the one he had described in a parable a few minutes earlier, though that was definitely not how they viewed themselves! Now He addressed their disdainful feelings toward “sinners” as He told the parable of the prodigal. I’m sure that as Jesus began telling them the story, they identified with the “elder son”, being confident that the “prodigals” surely were the sinners they despised so much. I’m thinking that when the punchline came in Jesus’ parable, and the father ran to his prodigal son to embrace him, those bewildered pharisees were left scratching their heads. 

I really can’t explain why, but somehow in my prior readings of this passage I had totally missed the obvious:  BOTH BOYS HAD THE SAME FATHER!!!  So as I read, for the first time this passage reminded me of things I know to be true about God, our Father, and I was so grateful for the reminders.  First of all, verse 17 tells us that the prodigal knew that there was “bread enough and to spare” in his Father’s house.  God always provides for his children.  (That provision is shown again in verse 31 when he is speaking to his elder son, “Son, you are always with me, and ALL THAT I HAVE IS YOURS!”  God’s covenant with us, made through Jesus’ shed blood, has made Him available to us, His heirs.)

So the prodigal trudges home, ready to be no more than a servant in his father’s home, rehearsing his humble apology along the way.  But what happens?  He’s tackled with a bear hug by his father before he ever even gets home.  His father was overwhelmed with joy at the return of his son.  The scripture describes him “falling on his neck and kissing him”.  Close your eyes and imagine that scene.  The father couldn’t be satisfied with just a warm, welcome-home handshake.  I picture him running with tears blurring his vision as he shouts, laughs and cries, overcome with relief.  Bottom line:  the father was an emotional wreck!  And that’s God!  That’s His heart for us—whether it’s describing His joy when we first come to trust Him as Savior, or the jubilation He experiences when we return from having wandered away from Him, His heart melts when we come home.

Of course the reason to celebrate was lost on the older son.  He went into a major pout and wouldn’t even come inside.  So the father came out and PLEADED with him. The older son described in no uncertain terms just why his father should feel like lavishing his love on him, his good, hard-working, faithful, responsible son! I can hear him saying, “My brother has done plenty to earn your scorn, while all these years I’ve given you countless reasons to be proud of me.” But he couldn’t persuade his father to view his two sons through different lenses. Meanwhile, as the older son stood on his self-appointed pedestal, he was blinded from comprehending his father’s love. His abba’s love for his “faithful” son hadn’t been diminished, replaced, or forgotten even in the midst of the full-blown welcome home parade going on in his heart for his younger son.  

We will spend eternity learning of all that makes our God awesome, but one of those things we know already—He is the only One in the universe with the capacity to have an everlasting, intimate, tender, emotional love for each and every one of His us. I sure hope you take some time to ponder that and then love Him back!

Jesus, thank You for this parable. Thank You for telling us how much our Father loves us. Help me to be a faithful, loyal child–not out of duty or trying to earn Your love. I want to be quick to do all that You ask of me, but may my responses to You always and only be because I am deeply in love with You, Abba.