I guess we all know the parable of the Prodigal Son. A rich man had two sons, the younger one asked his father for his share of the inheritance, took the money and went away to spend it all on wine, women and songs. Personally, I would have chosen chocolate instead of one of those three.
When the money ran out, and there was a famine, the wasteful son came to his senses and returned to his father in repentance.
The father was glad to see him back and had a great feast to celebrate the return of his son.
When the older son found out he was very angry and upset because he had been faithful to his father all along, working 24/7 in the fields, and never got anything as a reward.
Now I suspect that most people, like me, would sympathise with the older brother. After all, the younger one wasted all the money away and here he is, once again, welcomed back to share even more of what is left.
But what is Jesus really trying to teach us in this parable?
He is reminding us once again about God's infinite mercy for us. Time and time again, no matter how much we sin, or how serious a sin, we should never doubt His mercy. Once a sin is repented over, God's love consigns that sin to a place where it should never again hinder our progress towards Him.
God is merciful and He forgives time and again.
Jesus said that He would leave the ninety-nine sheep and go looking for the one that is lost.
"In the same way, I tell you that there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous ones who do not need to repent" (Luke 15:7).
In human terms, it is understandable if we feel sorry for the older brother who feels hard done by in this parable. But Jesus here is not talking about money, or inheritance, or fairness.
He is telling us that God is merciful and He forgives. And we should not be jealous if He forgives someone whom we consider not worthy of forgiveness. Rather, we should be glad that one lost soul has been saved and once more returned to the family of God.
As for us, when we have sinned and repented we must be glad of God's mercy and forgiveness. We should consign our regrets, our bitterness, our self-pity and disappointments of ourselves to the past where they belong. And rejoice that we too have been welcomed back like the prodigal son.
The younger son asks for his portion of inheritance
ReplyDeletefrom his father, who grants his son's request...
This son, however, is prodigal thus squandering his
fortune and eventually becoming destitute..
So..Why did the father forgive the prodigal son?
One because he loved his son and two because his
son had repented and came back and humbled himself,
asking to be a servant, not demanding that he have
his old life back...
The father saw that his son had changed..
God waits for humans to realise what they
have done wrong and ask for forgiveness
and welcomes them back when they do....!
AND..Remember...
The prodigal returned home without shoes,
a sign of having become extremely destitute
because in ancient biblical times only
servants and slaves went barefoot..! Amen !
You said it so beautifully well, Willie.
DeleteGod bless you.
...and you reap what you sow!
ReplyDeleteTrue.
DeleteGod bless, Tom.
Dearest Victor,
ReplyDeleteNot sure if God is able to forgive those that caused tremendous genocides... killing and hurting so many others! IF they even do repent and we have quite some of those high caliber people in history and still adding.
Hugs,
Mariette
God is able and will forgive anyone as long as their repentance is genuine.
DeleteGod bless, Mariette.
❓❔
DeleteWhat I mean, Mariette; if someone has committed the worst of sins and then, before dying, confesses that sin and seeks forgiveness, genuine forgiveness, would God not forgive that person?
DeleteFor example, Judas knew he did wrong, he tried to return the money he got for betraying Jesus, say he asked God for genuine forgiveness, would God still have damned him to hell for eternity? We don't really know that he asked for forgiveness, but he was desperate enough to kill himself. Say he asked for forgiveness, what would God have done? What would you have done if someone showed genuine remorse and asked your forgiveness?
God bless you always.
If you are willing to admit what you did wrong and repent, God will take care of you.
ReplyDeleteAmen Bill. That's what I believe also.
DeleteGod bless.
Methinks it takes a big man to apologize ... even a bigger one to forgive.
ReplyDeleteI agree Mevely. I agree entirely.
DeleteGod bless you.
According to God’s word, if we seek Him with our whole heart, confess, and ask Him for forgiveness and repent we will be forgiven. He doesn’t exclude any sins as far as I know. God’s thoughts are higher than ours, and I think somethings remain a conundrum to us mere humans. Blessings, Victor.
ReplyDeleteYes Nells, I believe you are right.
DeleteGod bless.
Thankful that we have a forgiving and merciful God!!
ReplyDeleteAmen Happyone.
DeleteGod bless.
Well said. We all need to repent as prodigals, and as elder brothers when we want to get a judgmental on people. Also, we need to be good representatives of the Father, reaching out to people who repent.
ReplyDeleteAmen Mimi. And repentance should be genuine.
DeleteGod bless.
As a child I sometimes felt like the older brother whenever we had a small bag of sweets my sister would eat all of hers right away, but I would save some for the next day and when I was eating them she would complain to mum that she had none and I had to share mine.
ReplyDeleteYou must have been very kind as a child, River.
DeleteGod bless.
Lovely post Victor, I always get emotional when I read the scriptures. There is a love in God that does not exist in the fleshly man. God bless.
ReplyDeleteGod will forgive anything as long as we are honest in our remorse.
DeleteGod bless you, Brenda.
;-)
Delete