What do you know about God?  Do you know that He is a forgiving God?  Do you know that He delights in running to lost sinners who turn to Him in repentance?  Do you know that He is right and good to celebrate the repentance and return of those who have wandered away?  If you didn’t know this, you don’t know much about God.

The older brother was bitter that his brother had returned.  He was angry that his father threw a party for the “lost”son.  The other brother was comparing conduct.  He counted out his righteousness deeds to the Father, rather self-righteousness deeds.  He missed it.  Somehow there wasn’t any room for love.  No love for his own brother.

This older brother represented the Pharisees.  They were self-righteous.  They thought God had to love and bless them for their deeds.  But they missed the heart of God.  You see there is an unstated message to this parable.  Where was Jesus in this message?  He was right in the middle.

Jesus is the true and better brother who was not content to leave his rebellious younger brother in the far country.  He himself went after the prodigal, leaving the pleasure and comforts not of a farm, but of heaven.  You see, that is God’s heart.  The one thing the story does not contain that is should contain to fit with the other two in this chapter is someone who is searching.  The widow was searching for her coin and the shepherd was searching for the sheep… but who went searching for the son?  Who went to him and said, “come home!”

It was Jesus in that very moment.  He was calling.  He was saying, “Come home!”  Where are you today?  He is saying, “Come Home!”

Father,

So many times I try and take your Word and try to figure out what I need to do to please you.  The truth is that you have satisfied my sin debt and pleased God for me.  All I need to do is trust you and walk in the grace that you have given me.  It really is that simple.  You delight in repentance.  Their are no fancy deeds that I can do to impress you.  I ask for rest in you today.  Let me rest in the gospel, my hope of ressurection.