The Prodigal Father

The son said to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son.’ Luke 15:21

The parable of the prodigal son is one of the most well loved stories in the Bible. The meaning of prodigal here refers to how the younger son was wastefully extravagant with the inheritance from his father. He asked for half of his share of the estate and squandered it all in wild living. 

We can also call it the tale of the prodigal father, for when his wayward son came home, the father was extremely generous and lavish with his forgiveness and love. We can look forward to a welcome like that from our Heavenly Father when we turn back to him in humility and repentance. 

I cannot help feeling that this Covid-19 scare is really a call for all of us to examine our lives, take stock of how we have used the gifts we are given, and how we love our neighbors. It is also a time to repent of our personal and corporate sins as a nation. I sense that far from angry, like the prodigal Father, God is waiting for His people to come to our senses and see the truth. We put too much value in worldly things. We are like the younger son who wants everything the world can offer, when what we have with our Father is so much more precious. Let us run back to Him. He is waiting. Let us spend more time in prayer and reading His Word. That is an inheritance that is worth more than anything in this world!