The Prodigal Son

It is Thursday morning, 23rd June 2022, and this is your friend, Angus Buchan with a thought for today.

“And the son said to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and in your sight, and am no longer worthy to be called your son.”
Luke 15:21

This is without a doubt one of the saddest verses in the Bible. Remember the story of the father who had two sons, an older one and a younger one? The younger one came and said, “I want my inheritance and I want it now.” His dear father probably had to scramble and go to the bank and take an overdraft to get the money out and give it to his son. The Bible tells us that his son went off into the far country and lived a life that was wasted. Maybe I am talking to somebody today that is in that position, or maybe you have a child or a father who is in that situation. I am sitting in my prayer room as I am dictating this little message for you. I am looking straight ahead of me at a painting of the prodigal son returning to his father, a very dear lady painted it for me because I couldn’t find one anywhere. The father has got him in full embrace and the son is in rags. He has wasted all his money and come back home and he has nothing to show for it. What did the father say? “Well, you deserve it!” or “Get out of my sight, I don’t want to ever see you again!” No, he didn’t! He said:

“But the father said to his servants, ‘Bring out the best robe and put it on him, and put a ring on his hand and sandals on his feet. And bring the fatted calf here and kill it, and let us eat and be merry; for this my son was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.’ And they began to be merry.” Luke 15:22

We need to exercise a lot of grace for our children and our loved ones. Many of us make mistakes - you have to pay school fees to learn... Sometimes we do things the wrong way round. We must always keep the door open so that when the prodigal son or daughter comes home we can love them, put the past behind us and move on. That is what Jesus did for us on the Cross of Calvary. He paid for our sins, He then said, “It is finished,” and now we need to move on.

May Jesus bless you today as you find mercy, love and forgiveness in your heart towards that prodigal.
God bless you and goodbye.