Listen

“Then his son said, ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you. I no longer deserve to be called your son.’ But the father said to his servants, ‘Quickly, bring out the best robe and put it on him! Put a ring on his finger and sandals on his feet! Fetch the fattened calf and slaughter it. We must celebrate with feasting because this son of mine was dead and has come back to life! He was lost and is found!’ And they began to celebrate.”

Luke 15:21-24

Think

The son does something important here: he owns his actions. He speaks the truth, with no excuse: the truth of what he’s done and the impact it’s had.

There is power in naming what’s so, in bringing it to light, with no explanations or defensiveness.

But what’s even more powerful is this father’s abundant love. His almost impossible-to-believe welcome to his wayward son. His insistence on celebration and restoration.

I can imagine the son felt super uncomfortable and unworthy. It would’ve felt so much truer and fairer if he could just earn it: to work his way slowly over time back into his father’s good graces.

But the father here skips past all that, defying our instinct to pay penance and only get what we deserve. As Tim Keller once said, though, “The gospel is this: We are more sinful and flawed than we ever dared believe, and more loved and accepted in Christ than we ever dared hope.”

Cari Pattison

Question to Ponder:

If you didn’t know the ending to this story, what would you assume the father would do?

Pray

Faithful God, show me the truth of your promise to forgive, even though it flies in the face of my spiritual logic. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

Go

May you go into this day knowing you are held up and carried forth.

May you feel the truest most beautiful things in you brought to life.

And may all the disconnects that really matter, be rejoined and made new.