Coming Home

"Not long after that, the younger son got together all he had, set off for a distant country and there squandered his wealth in wild living. 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.  But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and was filled with compassion for him; he ran to his son, threw his arms around him and kissed him.  'My son,' the father said, 'you are always with me, and everything I have is yours.  But we had to celebrate and be glad, because' "  Luke 15:13-16, 20, 31-32    

We have just read one of the most famous stories of the Bible.  There are so many levels on which to read this!  Today we're going to focus - as we did yesterday - on the wanderer coming home.

In this story, the son already knows his father.  (Of course!)  It's not like he wandered away unwittingly, not knowing what he was getting himself into, or leaving behind.  In the stories from yesterday, a sheep had roamed, and a coin had disappeared.  Not exactly willing acts!

But this story is different.  This son knew.  He knew his father, and his home, and his family.  He knew what he was leaving behind, but the bright lights of the big city (such an embellishment on my part!) were calling his name.  Too late, after he had spent everything he had, he realized just what he had sacrificed for a few days of good times.

Can you imagine the shame he must have felt coming home?  Maybe he dreaded walking up the road to his old home.  Perhaps his feet dragged as he approached, his mind racing, wondering, how will I knock on that door?

Do you know how that feels?  You've messed up -- in a big way this time.  You can't possibly imagine forgiveness, or reconciliation, let alone celebration. 

And yet . . . it happens.  I don't know why or how God can love us so much.  The only way I can explain it is because He IS love.  I'm just so thankful that He DOES love!

As the father in the parable describes it, "this brother of yours was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found."  It's time to party!  If God Himself tells a story like that, how much more will He celebrate the reality of the lost being found?

There's a song by Bill & Gloria Gaither called "Welcome Back Home."  It's about this parable.  Of course, I can't find the lyrics anywhere, but my fabulous brother knows ALL music and I'm sure he'll email them to me.  And then I'll post them.  For now just know that when the lost is found, heaven parties!  And I imagine that Jesus is the loudest one, hooping and hollering and shouting "hallelujah!  My brother's coming home!"