The third story that Jesus tells in Luke 15 is probably one of his most familiar stories. You can read it here. What we see in this story is a son who intentionally rebels against his father and has to come back begging for mercy and forgiveness.
I think that this story illustrates what my understanding of the entire chapter has always been: Intentional rebellion against God. But I also have a new perspective on this story.
I find it incredible that this is the only story of the three where the person who represents God, in this case the father, doesn’t go after what’s lost. In the previous two stories the shepherd and the woman went after the lost sheep and coin. But in this story the father lets the son leave and then waits, and waits, and waits for the son to return home. And notice he doesn’t wait like we would, with anger and bitterness. He waits with compassion and love.
He doesn’t give up on the rebellious son. And when the son returns, what does he do? He ignores the excuses and throws another party!
Come back tomorrow for another thought on this third story.
1 comment:
It's the context of the story.... a coin can't jump out from under the bed and say "Here I am!" and a sheep, which you've declared are some of the dumbest animals on earth, wouldn't be able to find its way home (maybe by accident). But a man, who can think rationally has the ability to come back... and besides, God knows how rebellious we are. If he came after us trying to force us back home, we'd probably run screaming in the other direction. I think God knows what it's going to take to get us back and don't you think that the son could hear his father's voice in his head, telling him to come back and that he would take better care of him than his current circumstances.... Just my thoughts! I like this different perspective that the lost aren't necessarily the "lost."
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