The Son Who Left Behind!!!

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Whom it May Concern!!!

When It's Time to Return to God
A reflection on the parable of the prodigal son (Luke 15). - ​Patricia Namnún -

The Son Who Left Behind
In the Gospel of Luke, we find a story you've probably heard: the parable of the prodigal son (Luke 15:11-32). In it, Jesus explains how the heavenly Father welcomes us when we return to Him after sinning. Let me begin by telling it in my own words.

Our God is the One who loves us and, in the midst of our sins, waits for us to return to Him.

A man had two sons, but the younger one decided he wanted the inheritance that was due to him, and his father gave it to him. So he took everything and went to a distant country, where he squandered his possessions in riotous living. When he had spent everything, a severe famine struck, and he began to suffer hunger. So he ended up tending pigs and longing to eat the pods they were eating. In the midst of his great need, the son came to his senses and remembered how blessed those who served his father were, so he decided to return to him, recognizing that he was not worthy to be called his son.

Then comes the beautiful part of the story:

Getting up, he went to his father. While he was still a long way off, his father saw him and was moved with compassion. He ran to his father and embraced him and kissed him. And the son said to him, "Father, I have sinned against heaven and in your sight; I am no longer worthy to be called your son." But the father said to his servants, "Quickly! Bring the best robe and put it on him; put a ring on his finger and sandals on his feet. Bring the fatted calf and kill it, and let us eat and rejoice, for this son of mine was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found." And they began to rejoice (vv. 20-24).

Before God, we are all like this son, for we decided to take our "earthly inheritance"—everything the Lord has given us—and spend it on ourselves, prioritizing other things instead of God. In the end, we end up dry, because nothing outside of Him can satisfy us.

Returning Home
In this parable, we see how the younger son decided to return to his father, but not to seek more money and return to his selfish life, spending it on his pleasures. The passage tells us that the son came to his senses. This means that he realized what he had done, was able to perceive the reality of his sins, and decided to return repentant, recognizing that he had lost everything and truly deserved nothing.

The son had planned to return to become one of his father's servants, since he did not consider himself worthy of returning as his son. However, the father's plan was completely different. Although he may have been an old man, he still decided to pick up his robe, put his legs in motion, and run to his son to embrace and kiss him. The father covered his son's rags and poverty with his own robes of honor, for he surely gave him one of his own robes.

Our God never loses sight of us. When He sees us returning, He feels deep compassion for us and reaches out to meet us.

What glorious hope this story provides for us, for the father is a figure of our merciful God! He loves us and, in the midst of our sins, waits for us to return to Him. He invites us to draw near, and in doing so, draws near to us (James 4:8). Our God never loses sight of us. When He sees us returning from our wanderings in the world far from Him, He feels deep compassion for us and reaches out to meet us.