The Lesson of The Prodigal Son

20 Apr The Lesson of The Prodigal Son

Read Luke 15:11-24

Thought for the Day: Repentance includes letting go of expectations!

Unwilling to wait until it was time to receive his inheritance, the Prodigal Son wanted his share… and he wanted it now! But, after searching the world for happiness (and finding none), he ended up broke, hungry, and miserable. At the end of his travels, the Prodigal Son faced a tough reality: all he learned was that he knew how to spend money he hadn’t earned in the first place.

At this point in the story, the Prodigal Son knew it was time to return home and repent. So, when he returned to his father’s house, it was from a place of honesty and humility: “Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son.” While his father showed unprecedented grace and forgiveness, it is important to remember that the Prodigal Son returned without expectation. He knew that it was time to make amends and come home. Rather than asking for things to go back to normal, the Prodigal Son repented without expectation.

Are we willing to learn the lesson of the Prodigal Son? To repent is to stop, turn away from sin, and follow Jesus. However, we can too often mistakenly think that repentance is simply a reboot that will allow us to go back to normal. At these times, we miss the whole point! Repenting is letting go of all the things (including expectations) that keep us from having a fulfilling relationship with Jesus. When we repent, we turn away from both our old behaviors and our old expectations. When we learn this, we will experience the peace that only Jesus offers!

In Christ,

Pastors Stan and David