“He Was Lost And Is Found”
Then Jesus said, “There was a man who
had two sons. The younger of them said to his father, ‘Father, give me the
share of the property that will belong to me.’ So he divided his property
between them. A few days later the younger son gathered all he had and traveled
to a distant country, and there he squandered his property in dissolute living.
When he had spent everything, a severe famine took place throughout that
country, and he began to be in need. So he went and hired himself out to one of
the citizens if that country, who sent him to his fields to feed the pigs. He
would gladly have filled himself with the pods that the pigs were eating; and
no one gave him anything. But when he came to himself, he said, ‘How many of my
father’s hired hands have bread enough and to spare, but here I am dying of
hunger! I will get up and go to my father, and I will say to him, “Father, I
have sinned against heaven and before you; I am no longer worthy to be called
your son; treat me like one of your hired hands.”’ So he set off and went to
his father. But while he was still far off, his father saw him and was filled
with compassion; he ran and put his arms around him and kissed him. Then the
son said to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you; I am no
longer worthy to be called your son.’ But the father said to his slaves,
‘Quickly, bring out a robe – the best one – and put it on him; put a ring on
his finger and sandals on his feet. And get the fatted calf and kill it, and let
us eat and celebrate; for this son of mine was dead and is alive again; he was
lost and is found!’ And they began to celebrate.
“Now his elder son was in the field;
and when he came and approached the house, he heard music and dancing. He
called one of the slaves and asked what was going on. He replied, ‘Your brother
has come, and your father has killed the fatted calf, because he has got him
back safe and sound.’ Then he because angry and refused to go in. His father
came out and began to plead with him. But he answered his father, ‘Listen! For
all these years I have been working like a slave for you, and I have never
disobeyed your command; yet you have never given me even a young goat so that I
might celebrate with my friends. But when this son of yours came back, who has
devoured your property with prostitutes, you killed
the fatted calf for him!’ Then the father said to him, ‘Son, you are always
with me, and all that is mine is yours. But we had to celebrate and rejoice,
because this brother of yours was dead and has come to life; he was lost and
has been found.’”
Luke 15:11-32
At some point in our own walks of
faith as Christians, we are represented in three different ways. At times we
are a wayward child in need of repentance and forgiveness. At other times we
are the big brother who wants to hold on to resentment and withhold
forgiveness. And as we mature, we become like the father, whose highest desire
is to have all his children reconciled.
What role are you playing in the story
of your own family? Do you need the courage to repent and seek forgiveness? Or
do you need the compassion to extend forgiveness?
A right
attitude with your own family
begins with a right
attitude toward God.
Our Daily
Bread –