The Prodigal Son

The prodigal son wishes his father were dead so he could take his inheritance and squander it on fleeing pleasures and instant gratification. We must ask ourselves, ‘why do I feel so inclined to sensual and instant gratification when I know that these undermine my glory with my Father? As mysterious as the attraction is, it is a fact. If we allow God’s mercy to penetrate our hearts, however, never giving up on our quest to grow closer to Him, He will change those fallen desires to healthy ones.

The father’s response to his prodigal son seems rather scandalous. His generous response could enable his son’s profligate ways. Afterall, we’re not told the end of the story for either son. Perhaps it’s for us to figure out with our own lives. Jesus is clearly not worried, though, about making God an enabler to moral decadence. Rather does He propose a radical solution: displaying the vulnerability of our Father’s merciful heart, will help us see that sin is not just breaking rules, but breaking hearts. Receiving Mercy makes us merciful. Today, let us examine our lives and identify the sins we tend to commit over and over, only this time, let us view them from the perspective of our Father’s vulnerable heart, and ask Him to change our hearts likewise.