Luke chapter 15 verses 14-20 (NIV)
After he had spent everything, there was a severe famine in that whole country, and he began to be in need. So he went and hired himself out to a citizen of that country, who sent him to his fields to feed pigs. He longed to fill his stomach with the pods that the pigs were eating, but no one gave him anything. “When he came to his senses, he said, ‘How many of my father’s hired servants have food to spare, and here I am starving to death! I will set out and go back to my father and say to him: Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son; make me like one of your hired servants.’ So he got up and went to his father.
I love how, even with the most familiar of Bible passages can speak so freshly to us. Today in the beloved story of the prodigal son, I was initially struck by the words, “he began to be in need.” The younger son was only interested in himself, and had turned his back on all that was right. But his way back started after he began to be in need.
So many people, and sometimes even us, choose to go our own way until we too begin to be in need. God uses such circumstances to gradually draw us into the right place with Him. The next step in that restoration is when we come to our senses and turn back to the point where we went off the right road.
God knows what it takes to bring us back. He does whatever it takes to make us see that we were wrong. But just as we know how the prodigal son’s story ends, we also know that we too can extend the grace and mercy extended to us.
The prodigal son did not deserve the unconditional forgiveness he received. In the culture of the time, his request to his father would be seen as an affront and an insult, because it would have been seen as wishing his father dead.
I heard someone say that the reason the father ran to greet his wayward son, was to make sure that the elders of the town didn’t reach him first. Culture of the time would dictate he be beaten and banished.
Its a lesson for us to take care of our own attitude when a prodigal returns. Otherwise we end up with the same attitude as the older son. We received the unmerited favour of God, we cannot ration grace to others.
Dear Lord,
Thank You for drawing me close to You, and for extending your grace to me when I mess things up. Help me not to be sparing when You tell me to extend grace to others. I ask in Jesus’ Name. Amen.