The Prodigal Son Pt. 6- Love Lets Go

Have you ever loved something or someone so dearly that you could swear that you would never ever let it go and always wanted to keep him/her/or it close to your heart forever? Or has something so close to you ever been torn away from you; leaving you feeling at such a loss, flooded with pain? I am convinced that the Father of the Prodigal Son went through all of these emotions as His son was getting ready to leave. I am sure He wanted to stand in front of the door, take the keys of the car, or take away his inheritance and say “You’re not going!” But He didn’t. Actually scripture doesn’t say anything about it one way or another- leading me to believe that rather than manipulating the circumstances to keep His son from leaving, He instead watched Him go, being fully connected to the pain and heartbreak.

You see when something or someone we love threatens to leave usually our first response is one out of self preservation and self defense. Whether it be begging, manipulating, demanding, warning, controlling, or despising, they are all tools to try to bring about our own desired end. But the question of love usually isn’t one to do with nearness but rather “Do you love me enough to let me go?” And the answer from the Father of the Prodigal Son is a sorrowful “yes.”

Because love is dignified by choice, the Father had to bestow the freedom of choice upon his son. In short, forced love is not love at all and the Father would rather feel the emptiness and pain of lost love than to bring his son into humiliation and subjection to himself by coercive means. Love lets go. And by letting go, it opens itself to the unknowable future which can be quite scary. Would this be the last time He would see His son? Would His son ever come home? No answer and He did not know. But He still bestowed freedom to His children.

Is there something or someone in your life that you claim to “love” but it looks more like bondage, manipulation, and neediness than freedom, giving, and joy? Remember that love always sets free and gives the dignity of choice rather than relinquishing both freedom and will. I encourage you to open yourself to the mystery of the future though it may be painful because we will never experience love from another if we don’t allow that other to choose.

The Prodigal Son Pt.4- The Fatted Calf

Celebrating is not really celebrating if a feast isn’t involved.  Are not most of your fondest memories of your family and friends taking place around a dinner table telling stories; enjoying one another and mom’s cooking?  The same has been true for most every culture on earth throughout history.  The same is also true for the Father’s celebration over his estranged child.  He tells his servants to kill the fatted calf.  A goat would feed anywhere from 5-7 people- but a calf is a different story and a fatted calf at that.  A fatted calf would anywhere from 150 to 200 people!  Thats like renting out an entire restaurant and filling it with people…  A huge celebration for the whole village!

Because sin does not only effect our relationship with God but also our relationship with and among our communities, the celebration of one returning home from a life of sin isn’t primarily a  private party but a communal celebration including the entire town.  Sin at its core divides, separates, and alienates loved ones from each other- Sin is Anti-love.  When we are saved from sin we are saved from it’s effects also, which is separation, estrangement, and isolation.  This is why the bible stresses the importance of God’s family.  Salvation is not a renewed personal relationship with God alone, but with the entire family.  In short, Salvation is being saved from sin into a family- where God is the Father and the church is our brothers and sisters.

Do you let other people celebrate over you?  Do you allow others to enjoy and by enjoying, love you?  Most of us have been too hurt to trust another to love us- But the Great Shepherd is calling us again to trust Him and open ourselves to others to enjoy and be enjoyed in His flock.  Would you let others enjoy you?  Would you take time to enjoy things about yourself?  Remember, every time you make your way back to the Father’s house, all of the families in heaven are rejoicing over you (Luke 15:7).

Prodigal Son Pt. 3- The Running Father

“And he ran and embraced his son, and kissed him” Luke 15:20

Here we see the Father of the prodigal son running down the road to find his estranged son.  When this story was told by Jesus to first century hearers they would have been shocked by this statement; a patriarch (or respectable father of a community) does not gird himself, pulling up his garments, and run.  But this is what the father did when he left his place of honor to go to his shameful son.  The father became worthless to bestow honor on his son that was deserving of little just as Jesus became poor to make those who are poor very rich.

Does the God you call Jesus leave His lofty place of honor and run to you in your weakness?  Does He run full speed to show mercy when your heart is seemingly filled with lust, anger, greed, and hate?  Is He willing to crucify His reputation to give dignity to you?  Or does the one you pray to mostly stand back while you are struggling, being mostly apathetic?  Or is He mostly angry at you when you are too weak to say “no” to temptations?  This is not the God of the bible-  The God of the bible runs undignified to give value to the broken prodigals and wayward children who aren’t deserving.  Lift up your eyes, He is running to you now.

The Prodigal Son Pt. 2

In the story of the prodigal son we see clearly how, when fear enters into a relationship, the human heart will respond in one of two ways; namely rejection or rebellion.  The prodigal son manifested the fear of his own heart in rebellion.  For whatever reason (scripture does not say) he had enough of his father’s house and decided to leave.  The older brother, however, decided to stay at the house and help his dad.

When the younger brother came home from his life of sex and fun yet full of regret the father came out to tell the older brother; let’s listen to his heart of rejection:

“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”

From this passage we can deduce a couple of things; first is the way that the older son viewed himself and second is how he viewed his father.  From his own mouth he exclaims how he has been “working like a slave” for his father.  The work that was being done was not a heart of love for his father but an orphaned heart seeking for some sort of affirmation (we will expound on this later).  He viewed himself as bending over backwards for a father who was hard to please.

If the son viewed himself as a slave then his father must assume the role of the slave master; one who is harsh and does not give gifts.  This is evidenced by the older brothers view of the father’s house- namely a house without celebrating.  When we perceive the father’s house as a celebrationless house our only option thereafter is an orphaned heart and feeling like a slave.  But when we see the father’s house as one of immense celebration where the hearts of his children are adored and nurtured, it is easy to run alongside the father to pick up the broken and hurting brothers who have sold themselves for lesser pleasures.

Do you see your Father in heaven celebrating over you?  Is the Father’s house a place where your very life is commemorated and deeply cherished?  Do you give the Father time each day to sing over you and wash you?  I encourage you today- accept the place of honor that He has given you at His table and dine with Him.  Don’t only let Him celebrate your existence but also join in and participate in the celebration over your life; this is as simple as agreeing with His thoughts and feelings toward you.  Even Paul had to be “persuaded” by the love of God (Romans 8:38-39); what makes us think that we will “get it” all of a sudden?  Take time today and everyday to let Him adore you.  Then we will begin to believe the words that the Father said to the older brother are true for us:  “My son, you are always with me, and all that is mine is yours.” God Bless.

The Prodigal Son Pt. 1

I think I am beginning to realize that the coming home of the prodigal son isn’t a single climactic event that happens at a major turning point in each believer’s life. I have recently taken the outlook that this is something that happens everyday with God and me. I wander far from home in my many tasks and conversations and whatnot. Every time I gossip. Every time I curse. Every time I say a lie or lust or watch a movie that I should not have watched or waste my time frivolously, I leave from home with the inheritance given to me by my Father, and there I squander it shamefully.

And every time I draw near to my Father in repentance He comes running for me, placing a ring on my finger while wrapping a white robe around me.  Everyday I practice receiving mercy from my Father because everyday I need mercy.  And something more astounding than that- He runs to me every time!  Have you wandered away from home today?  Your Father is waiting patiently with a longing heart to run to you right now and show you mercy.  Go home now and experience His love for yourself!