Special thanks to Jill Hamming from PEI who is writing the devotionals on the readings from Luke (with help from L.E.Porter’s commentary on Luke).

SCRIPTURE: Luke 15:11-32

OBSERVATION/APPLICATION

1. Here is the third parable of Jesus’ response to the leaders complaining about Him spending time with undesirable people. This time there is more emphasis on the behaviour of the lost. This lost one chooses to go away, but he does repent and come back.
2. The lost is a son, one of the heirs of a rich man. He demands his inheritance early, cashes it in, goes away, and squanders it. The son ends up working for a pig farmer; (lowest class job possible for a Jew who doesn’t even eat pork as it is considered unclean) he is so hungry! Eventually the son decides to go home, apologize to dad and ask for work as his employee. Dad must have always been looking out for his son, longing for him to come home. He rushes to meet him, hugs him, and starts a celebration.
3. We hear people say this. A person who runs away from God often has to hit rock bottom before he can look up to the right place. I am not sure why this is…. why we have to get desperate before we call on God when He is sitting right there welcoming us all along….
4. The end of the parable is aimed at the grumpy scribes and pharisees. The older son, who has never strayed from home, is upset at the welcome his brother receives. Why should we welcome this bad brother back like this? You never threw a party for me! Like these leaders the older son thinks his brother does not deserve to be treated with honor because he is/was bad. He has forgotten that all of us only have what we have by grace – That none of us earn God’s love for us. It is only His kindness that makes any of us acceptable to Him.

PRAYER:
Thank-you God that You always welcome us to You no matter where we have been. Thank-you that you are the best dad ever! Please open our hearts to see other people as You see them. Thank-you, Amen.