The Son's Story: Luke 15:11-32
"Father, I want my share of the heritance now." And so his father gave it to him, even though he was not entitled to it yet.
His son was not happy living at home. Maybe his father was too strict. Maybe he just wanted to try going out into the world under his own steam. He was the youngest of two brothers and like many young people, he was probably anxious to get out from under his father's rules.
We don't really know his motivation. But we do know that after he had received his share of the inheritance, he gathered all of his belongings and went off to a country not far away. When he got there he spent all he had on wild living. When he didn't have anything left, there was a severe famine in that country and he suddenly had nothing to eat.
And so he had to go to work. He ended up feeding pigs and was so desperate that he wanted to eat the pods that they were eating. But no one would give him anything.
We don't know how long he stayed in the fields feeding pigs but we do know he got soon got tired of it and was hungry enough that he started thinking about his father' servants who had more than enough food and here he was starving. And so he decided to go back and throw himself on his father's mercy and beg him to let him be one of the servants.
If you don't know this parable that Jesus taught to his disciples when he lived on earth, what do you think the father did?
What would you do if your son or daughter left home, squandered whatever they took with them, and ended up coming back home to beg your mercy? Maybe while they were gone they partied, took drugs, ended up being arrested and needed help. Maybe your daughter got pregnant while she was gone.
What did the father do when he saw his son coming down the road? Did he reject his son, telling him he had no right to spend the money like he did let alone get it when it wasn't even due him yet? Did he yell at him, calling him names?
Come back tomorrow to find out. And in the meantime, read that scripture for yourself to get the answer if you don't know. Or even if you do. It is a reminder of what love and mercy are, even for us today.
And so he had to go to work. He ended up feeding pigs and was so desperate that he wanted to eat the pods that they were eating. But no one would give him anything.
We don't know how long he stayed in the fields feeding pigs but we do know he got soon got tired of it and was hungry enough that he started thinking about his father' servants who had more than enough food and here he was starving. And so he decided to go back and throw himself on his father's mercy and beg him to let him be one of the servants.
If you don't know this parable that Jesus taught to his disciples when he lived on earth, what do you think the father did?
What would you do if your son or daughter left home, squandered whatever they took with them, and ended up coming back home to beg your mercy? Maybe while they were gone they partied, took drugs, ended up being arrested and needed help. Maybe your daughter got pregnant while she was gone.
What did the father do when he saw his son coming down the road? Did he reject his son, telling him he had no right to spend the money like he did let alone get it when it wasn't even due him yet? Did he yell at him, calling him names?
Come back tomorrow to find out. And in the meantime, read that scripture for yourself to get the answer if you don't know. Or even if you do. It is a reminder of what love and mercy are, even for us today.
Thanks for your visit today. Many blessings to you and yours!
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