What the Prodigal Son Story Teaches Us about God
A devotional by Kerry Sue Teravskis
“So he returned home to his father. And while he was still a long way off, his father saw him coming. Filled with love and compassion, he ran to his son, embraced him and kissed him.”—Luke 15:20 (NLT)
We all love a good story, especially one with a happy ending. We enjoy a tale that is filled with adventure, mishaps, escapades, relationship forming, building and solidified. A story with substance, meaning and character.
When He was walking on this Earth and ministering to people for God, Jesus Christ used parables (a form of short storytelling that teaches a moral or spiritual lesson) to help His listeners to understand a point, a truth or a character trait of His Father (God). Jesus used familiar scenes, relationships and objects so the people could easily identify themselves in the story.
When we listen to or read a parable, most of us put ourselves in the story. We insert ourselves into the action and try to come out as the winner because nobody wants to be the loser. Sometimes, we walk away convicted after hearing a story that challenges us, but we try to see the good in the parable. Sometimes we see the parable for someone else, easily comparing his of her life within the passage.
We make ourselves the center of the story because things seem to fit better with us in the middle. When one gets right down to it, we are a self-centered bunch of people. Yet, have we ever stood back to think that maybe passages and parables in Scripture are to be God-centered, and not me-centered?
Case in point: the parable of the “Prodigal Son”. A quick look in the Merriam-Webster Dictionary will give us the definition of what it means to be a prodigal. This term implies that a person is “reckless or wasteful lavishness threatening to lead to early exhaustion of resources.” When you hear the word “prodigal”, what is the context and what do you think? Perhaps you think “wayward child, a runaway, one lost in sin. Someone who walked away from a loving family.”
I have even heard sermons on this topic, multiple times. And I have spent time praying for prodigals in my own life—if not for a loved one, then a friend’s loved one who has wandered far from home. And our hearts break. Ache. And we cry out to God for restoration, a return and forgiveness. We want answers to our prayers. We want our loved ones to return home.
Luke 15 has three parables with many before and after this chapter. They have a flow about them, similar message, and they all point to the Father, His Son, mankind. Let’s turn to Luke 15:11-32. If you grew up in a Christian home and attended a Christian church then you may have read this story before. You know the characters: father, two sons (one is the good one, the other was bad). The bad son wants his inheritance before his father dies and leaves to squander his money, newfound freedom, and different life. In his mind, he is free from all restrictions.
Only a little while later after leaving his home with his inheritance, the bad son is broken financially, broken spiritually, and desperate. He decides to do anything to get back into his father’s good graces. Therefore, this prodigal son formulates a plan while slopping pigs: he’ll go home and ask to be a servant so at least he can eat and have a roof over his head. He makes up his mind and heads home.
As the prodigal son nears his father’s house, what does he encounter? His father runs towards him and welcomes him home. He had been waiting for his son’s return. The father orders his servants to prepare a banquet to celebrate his son’s return. He dresses his son in a clean robe, gives him a ring and good shoes to wear on his feet. All this time, the prodigal son was hoping for acceptance as a servant but what he found was love beyond expectation. He received love and compassion lavished upon him by his father who never stopped loving his son.
Why is it we make this story about the son, when it is actually about the Father? When we take a step back, we can see the extravagance of the father toward his son. We see a father run to his son. It is important to note that a man did not run in those days like this. It was the servant who was seen running. We also see a banquet of grand proportions proving that the father withheld nothing for this son.
We look at the son, when instead we should be looking at the father. Isn’t this how our Heavenly Father is with us? Doesn’t He lavish us with His love, compassion, kindness, goodness, forgiveness? And so much more? Doesn’t He see us off in the distance and come running?
The Bible says in James 4:8 (NKJV), “Draw near to God and He will draw near to you.” Why do we put ourselves in the center of everything, when we should be putting and keeping God in the middle of our story? We focus on the sinner in this parable when we should focus our attention on the Savior.
The Father, His Son and the Holy Spirit should hold all our attention. We are to seek God’s kingdom first and His righteousness (Matthew 6:33). The Christian walk of faith is not about doing my own thing as I pursue my dreams and do daily life then tacking God on as an afterthought. It is about aligning my life with the will of the Father (God). Keeping in step with Him (Galatians 5:25). Running this race marked out for us by His mighty hand, to bring Him honor, glory and praise.
Because it’s all about Jesus. And it always has been and forever will be.
Let’s Pray:
Dear Heavenly Father,
You are good. Amazing. Lavish and profuse in Your love for me. You are extravagant in all Your ways. You are “prodigal” in the truest sense, and I am forever thankful. May my life never cease to be the offering I give out of my deep love for You because You chose me and loved me. I love You, Lord. In Jesus’s Name I pray. Amen.
Song of Reflection #1: “Prodigal” by Sidewalk Prophets. Listen to it here.
Song of Reflection #2: “Your Love is Extravagant” by Casting Crowns. Listen to it here.
Song of Reflection #3: “All to Bring You Glory” by Ashmont Hill. Listen to it here.
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Author Bio:
Kerry Sue’s life is very full because she is a wife and Marmee to three adult children—two of whom are married—and a new grandson.
Kerry Sue’s family was a homeschooling family for 20 years and they enjoyed it immensely. For the last 24 years they have lived on a small farm in Northern California where they have raised many farm animals, along with growing and preserving their food. Kerry Sue’s family farm has been a great source of enjoyment and a place to host many family gatherings. She maintains an open-door policy for dear friends—old and new.
Following and serving Jesus Christ is an integral part of Kerry Sue’s life as well as her family’s. Whether it’s singing in the church choir, teaching children or leading and lecturing at a women’s Bible study, Kerry Sue loves to demonstrate her love for Jesus by giving to Him in service. She’s been a blogger for more than eight years, a Bible study writer for four years, and a devotional writer for more than two years.
Kerry Sue feels led to write about finding God’s Sovereignty in our suffering because of her own ongoing journey of more than four years, with the hope to encourage others.
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Connect with Kerry:
Blog: https://www.sovereignblog.com/home
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/kerry.teravskis
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ksteravskis/
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