4 Minute Read

Prepare Your Heart

To the best of your ability, get rid of all distractions. Take a few minutes to breathe deeply and quiet yourself in the Lord’s presence. Then, ask the Lord to speak to you in this time. Let Him know that you will listen and make whatever adjustments He will reveal to you.

Read God’s Word

Ruth 1-4
Luke 15:8-32

A Verse for Today

Slowly and reflectively read the following verse(s) and listen to what God will say to you through His written Word. Consider writing down any insights He reveals to you.

Luke 15:20 (CSB): “So he got up and went to his father. But while the son was still a long way off, his father saw him and was filled with compassion. He ran, threw his arms around his neck, and kissed him.”

Reflecting on God’s Word

In Luke 15:11-32, we have probably the most well-known parable in all of Jesus’ teachings. It’s the parable of the Prodigal Son. It’s powerful in the lessons it conveys. So, investigate a few of those lessons.

The characters are as follows:

  • The dad: God
  • The son who left: a wayward sinner
  • The son who stayed: a self-righteous sinner

As the story begins, we are shocked at the ” prodigal’s” request. He wanted his half of his inheritance, acting as if he wished his father were already dead. The father complied, and the son left to “squander his estate in foolish living” (Luke 15:13). The oldest son’s claim of the prodigal’s involvement with prostitutes (Luke 15:30) was probably just an unfounded slanderous accusation.

When the “prodigal” had spent all his money, reached the bottom, and had nowhere to look but up, he determined to go back to his father and be a mere slave rather than a son. He was obviously broken … and that’s a good thing for a sinner as long as it pushes them to restoration.

We are told that the father saw his son while he was “still a long way off” (Luke 15:20). This leads us to believe the father may have continuously looked to the horizon in hopes that his beloved son would return. When the father saw him, he didn’t wait for his son to come and cower at his feet in destitution. He threw away any semblance of pride or dignity, raised his robe off his feet, and ran to his son. His love for his son caused him to give him a big hug and a kiss. He only listened to a portion of his son’s confession before he cut him off and talked about celebrating because his son had returned.

This is how God relates to us when we confess our sins and repent. The next time you are genuinely broken over a sin you have committed and you feel like God is holding it against you, use this text to inform your God-given imagination. See God running to you, hugging you, and kissing you. Watch as he cuts you off before you have had a chance to confess all you have done. See Him as He makes plans to celebrate because you have returned. Let His forgiveness and love for you cause you to hate what separated you from Him in the first place so that you never do it again.

But the parable doesn’t end here. There is another son, the one who didn’t demand his part of the inheritance. But when we hear the oldest son’s self-serving and condemning words and observe how he interacted with his father (Luke 15:25-32), we realize that he is clearly a sinner, too. He is self-righteous and does not share his father’s compassion for his returning son.

The crazy thing is that Jesus’ parable reveals that the “prodigal” and his father renewed a wonderful relationship. But the parable ends with the oldest son being at odds with his dad. We aren’t told if they ever worked things out. The parable ends with the son arguing with his dad, and his dad trying to talk some sense into his son.

As we look back and reflect on this parable, we realize that God is more forgiving and loving than we could ever imagine if we truly acknowledge our sins and come to Him with a repentant heart. But we also learn that it is better to be a repentant prodigal than a self-righteous son whose actions were (generally) good but whose heart was bad.

Spend Time in Prayer

  • Ask God to help you always feel the weight of sin so that you can confess it from your heart.
  • Ask God to help you receive His love, forgiveness, and grace when you repent.

Going Deeper

If you want to dig a little deeper into the parable of the Prodigal Son, consider reading the following GotQuestions article:

“What is the meaning of the Parable of the Prodigal Son?”

Sharing

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Matt Ellis is the pastor of First Baptist Church in Polk City, Florida (fbcpolkcity.com)