One
of the greatest stories of hope, love and reconciliation is found in the Bible
about a Prodigal Child. Prodigal means carelessly
and foolishly spending money, time, etc. It is someone has wasted what was
given to them. In this case it was a son who wasted his wealth and broke his Father’s
heart. Jesus told the following story:
“There was once a
man who had two sons. The younger said to his father, ‘Father, I want right now
what’s coming to me. “So the father divided the property between them. It
wasn’t long before the younger son packed his bags and left for a distant
country. There, undisciplined and dissipated, he wasted everything he had.
After he had gone through all his money, there was a bad famine all through
that country and he began to hurt. He signed on with a citizen there who
assigned him to his fields to slop the pigs. He was so hungry he would have
eaten the corncobs in the pig slop, but no one would give him any.
“That brought him to his senses. He said, ‘All those
farmhands working for my father sit down to three meals a day, and here I am
starving to death. I’m going back to my father. I’ll say to him, Father, I’ve
sinned against God, I’ve sinned before you; I don’t deserve to be called your
son. Take me on as a hired hand.’ He got right up and went home to his Father.
“When
he was still a long way off, his Father saw him. His heart pounding, he ran
out, embraced him, and kissed him. The son started his speech: ‘Father, I’ve
sinned against God, I’ve sinned before you; I don’t deserve to be called your
son ever again.’ “But
the Father wasn’t listening. He was calling to the servants, ‘Quick. Bring a
clean set of clothes and dress him. Put the family ring on his finger and
sandals on his feet. Then get a grain-fed heifer and roast it. We’re going to
feast! We’re going to have a wonderful time! My son is here—given up for dead and
now alive! Given up for lost and now found!’ And they began to have a wonderful
time. (The Message)
There could have been a different ending to
this story. The Father could have disowned him, and had nothing to do with him.
Unfortunately that’s how people treat each other sometimes. Maybe you’ve been
disowned or people have turned their backs on you. They just won’t forgive or
have anything to do with you. If this describes your situation I have some very
good news for you.
The Father in this story represents God, your
heavenly Father who will never turn His back on you. In fact He is just like
the Father in the story. He watches for your return. He wants to embrace,
forgive, and bring you back in to the family. If you are ready to return click
this link. http://peacewithgod.jesus.net
