Forgiven Son

Forgiven Son

The parable of The Prodigal Son is found in Luke 15:11-32. The story has to do with both rejection and forgiveness. It begins with a father of two sons. The youngest is anxious to leave home and get away from his family so he asks his father to give him his inheritance. In that time and place, that was an act of complete rejection. It was interpreted as a son telling his father that he wished he was dead.

The son took his money, left home and quickly wasted everything. When his money ran out he found that all his friends did, too. He suddenly had nothing and had to take a miserable job as a laborer on a pig farm.

He came to realize that the pigs were better off than he was. He was hungry, but the pigs had food every day. His remembered that his father always treated his own laborers well and that didn’t seem like such a bad thing anymore. He made the decision to go back and ask his father to hire him as a laborer.

Jesus told this story to teach a great biblical lesson. The story is not really about the pride, the loose living or the impetuous nature of the young man. It’s about love and forgiveness. When the son returned, his father saw him coming from a distance. Instead of closing his back and turning him away—or demanding that his son repay all of the wealth that he had squandered—the father ran to greet him, falling at his feet rejoicing! He thought his son was dead and was overcome with joy when he saw him!

This paints an incredible picture of the love that God has for us. It becomes crystal clear when we make the decision to return to Him.

Luke 15:20

“So he got up and came to his father. But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and felt compassion for him, and ran and embraced him and kissed him.”

What Jesus is really trying to do is teach you and me how WE should forgive. The hardest thing we do as Christians is to forgive others. So, God—who has every reason in the world to reject us—instead, shows us how to love others, even in spite of their unfaithfulness and foolishness.

I have heard it said that we never really understand forgiveness iuntil we have to forgive someone who didn't ask us and accept an apology that was never offered.

God is glorified when we forgive.

Is there anyone you need to forgive? Now is the time. Your friends are watching and they are learning about God’s love by watchin your actions.