Life of the Prodigal (luke 15)
This story isn’t about favoritism. It's not that God loves sinners and doesn't care about people who "have it all together." The Bible says we all run (all we like sheep have turned away, each to his own way…we all fall short). It is more like a bigger story about all of life and every man and woman who has ever lived. It is a parable so it illustrates a spiritual reality – we are all at some time, and often over and over again like the Prodigal. We take all the things in this life that our Heavenly Father has given us and we leave home and live as though he were dead.
Then our lucky streak runs out. And the world takes and takes and takes. And we try hard to scrape by but in the process sacrifice our dignity, we feed the pigs (or worse) to stay alive. We envy animals, who live better than we do. And we find ourselves with nothing – totally spiritually, emotionally, mentally and physically wasted. And “we’ve got nothing coming.” And we realize how far we’ve slid. And we dream of a better place. And we craft our silly speeches and we head humbly for home. And surprize...we find ourselve tackled to the ground by a Father whose compassion cannot be contained.

Who is this God who gives, who waits, who celebrates? I fear I know him not...

- posted by Jacob B. @ 10:11 AM