“How great is Your goodness which You have stored up for those who fear You, which You do for those who take refuge in You.” Psalm 31:20
The famous Jewish theologian, Martin Buber, shared a story about a king’s son who rebelled against his father and was banished from the sight of his face. After a time, the king was moved to pity for his fate and bade messengers go in search of him.
It was long before one of the messengers found him—far from home. He was at a village inn, dancing barefoot and in a torn shirt in the midst of drunken peasants. The courtier bowed and said:
“Your father has sent me to ask you what you desire. Whatever it may be, he is prepared to grant your wish.”
The prince began to weep.
“Oh,” said he, “if only I had warm clothing and a pair of stout shoes!”
Many believers sell themselves far short of what God has in store for them and settle for the small needs of the moment instead of the fullness of His glory. This is what it is like to live in spiritual exile.
God is calling back the prodigals to Himself. The rabbis taught three characteristics of authentic repentance: (1) recognition of wrongdoing, accompanied by confession; (2) a determination to stop doing wrong; (3) doing the right thing instead. We see this played out in the Parable of the Prodigal Son.
The prodigal devises a face saving plan after hitting rock bottom in a faraway land of exile. He would return to his father, but as a hired servant and ask for his father’s forgiveness but not for His authority. So, he got up and went to his father but while
he was yet a good way off, his father saw him and was moved with pity and ran toward his son and fell on his neck kissing him fervently. It was considered undignified for an older man to pull up his robes to run. In a spontaneous act of grace and mercy, the father humiliated himself before the community so his son would be spared their harsh judgment. When he got to him, He kissed him repeatedly; a social convention of reconciliation between two disputing parties. When the prodigal saw his father’s response, he changed his plan of action and said: ”I am no longer worthy to be called your son.” What kind of relationship do we have with God?
A striking feature of the parable was the depth of the father’s love, so great that He paid no thought to defile himself by reaching out for physical contact with His wayward son smeared with the stench of unclean animals.
The parable does not reveal how things were ultimately played out and whether there was a ‘happy-ever-after’ ending, It begs the question how well we deal with the second chances bestowed upon us by our heavenly father?
Irrespective of the past, God’s love and forgiveness is freely available for all who choose to place their full trust in Him and walk recklessly in His ways. Those who do will never be disappointed.
