Reading:
And
he said, A certain man had two sons: And the younger of them said to his
father, Father, give me the portion of goods that falleth to me. And he
divided unto them his living. And not many days after the younger
son gathered all together, and took his journey into a far country, and there
wasted his substance with riotous living. And when he had spent all,
there arose a mighty famine in that land; and he began to be in want. And
he went and joined himself to a citizen of that country; and he sent him into
his fields to feed swine. And he would fain have filled his
belly with the husks that the swine did eat: and no man gave unto him. And
when he came to himself, he said, How many hired servants of my father's have
bread enough and to spare, and I perish with hunger! I will arise and go to my
father, and will say unto him, Father, I have sinned against heaven, and before
thee, And am no more worthy to be called thy
son: make me as one of thy hired servants. And he arose, and came to
his father. But when he was yet a great way off, his father saw him, and had
compassion, and ran, and fell on his neck, and kissed him. And
the son said unto him, Father, I have sinned against heaven, and in thy sight,
and am no more worthy to be called thy son. But the father said to his
servants, Bring forth the best robe, and put it on him; and put a ring
on his hand, and shoes on his feet: And bring hither the
fatted calf, 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. Now his elder son was in the field:
and as he came and drew nigh to the house, he heard music and dancing. And
he called one of the servants, and asked what these things meant. And
he said unto him, Thy brother is come; and thy father hath killed the fatted
calf, because he hath received him safe and sound. And he was angry, and would
not go in: therefore came his father out, and intreated him. And
he answering said to his father, Lo, these many years do I serve thee,
neither transgressed I at any time thy commandment: and yet thou never gavest
me a kid, that I might make merry with my friends: But as soon as this thy
son was come, which hath devoured thy living with harlots, thou hast killed for
him the fatted calf. And he said unto him, Son, thou art
ever with me, and all that I have is thine. It was meet that we should
make merry, and be glad: for this thy brother was dead, and is alive again; and
was lost, and is found.
Commentary:
Here is a true picture of our sinful flesh. We want what we have not earned, even the
riches of our own father, yet we crave such only so we can indulge the sinful
desires of our own bodies. Of our
covetous nature the Bible says, "Hell and destruction are never full; so the eyes of man are never
satisfied." Prov. 27:20 As with the
prodigal son and the father, many Christian parents likewise know the pain of
an adult child who has given themselves over to indulge the flesh without
repentance. Yet as this father earnestly
prayed for the repentance and salvation of his son, so Christian parents should
daily pray for the reconversion of their children. While it grieves the heart to know not all
repent and return as this prodigal son (hence David's "O Absalom, my son,
my son…."), there are certainly many who do. Most importantly let us see that just as this
father happily and with joy received back the son, so our Heavenly Father above
will happily receive every penitent son or daughter who returns seeking mercy. None of us are worthy to be received back
into our Father's arms, yet because Jesus' arms were opened wide for our sake,
He gladly receives and forgives without grudging. How could we then begrudge the deathbed
conversion, when even the angels in heaven rejoice?
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