The Prodigal Son story has always been a powerful reminder of God’s beautifully gracious welcome, even when we are covered in shame and wracked with guilt – the Father’s arms are always open wide to us.
But there was a season in my life when I struggled to “come to my senses” and find my way back home. I wasn’t even sure I wanted to come home. The image of a father hiking up his cloak to come running to me, wrapping his arms around me, shunning the retribution of the onlookers and welcoming me home was powerful, no doubt, and there have been many times when this image has spoken to me deeply. But there have also been times when I did not know what it looked like to come home. I was stuck, caught in a thicket of my own questions and struggles, lost in a confusing maze of fear, anger and disappointment.
Let Me Tell You a Story
In Luke 15 when Jesus hears the Pharisees muttering about his poor choice of friends, he turns to them and tells them some stories. (I love how Jesus does this. “Interesting point. Let me tell you a story”). He gets to the prodigal son story eventually, but he doesn’t begin there. He begins with the story of a sheep that has gone astray.
“Suppose one of you has a hundred sheep and loses one of them. Doesn’t he leave the ninety-nine in the open country and go after the lost sheep until he finds it? And when he finds it, he joyfully puts it on his shoulders and goes home.” (Lk 15:4-6)
This is the story many of us need to hear. Jesus is coming for you!
I have pondered why the prodigal son story had so much more traction in my upbringing. I think it’s because our default when we are struggling is often “What can I do? How can I find God again? How do I make it back?” When I heard that story preached, as much as I saw the grace of the father and longed to know that level of love and acceptance, I also “heard” this: “Boy, you’d better smarten up and come home, stop being such an idiot,” and on and on. And, the brutal truth is, as much as I flinched from that inner condemnation, I would often hold it over others as well, “That guy needs to get his act together.”
But Jesus does not begin with this story. He tells two other stories first, both of which convey the reality of being lost, even abandoned, and someone choosing to tenaciously look for us until we are found. Ninety-nine sheep are left to fend for themselves because one sheep is lost - we are not told why, the why doesn’t matter. This sheep will not be forgotten, it is precious, and the world stops until it is found and brought home. One small coin is misplaced, so everything goes on hold, the lights turned up full and every inch gone over until that coin is found. Without someone finding us, we are not coming home. I think I have felt this reality far more than the other. I resonate with the line that psychiatrist Curt Thompson loves to use:
“We are all looking for someone who is looking for us.”
Incarnation
The message at the center of the Incarnation, I am convinced, is this: "I am coming for you!"
God has been with the people of Israel from the beginning of the Bible but in Jesus, God does something utterly new. God moves in.
God has come to be with us, to put a face on his love. The Word made flesh is not a story of us finding our way home, of “coming to our senses” and crawling back to God.
The Incarnation is a story of being found, of a God who will stop at nothing to rescue us from our lostness.
But, you might protest, the first two stories do say we must repent. “There will be more rejoicing in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous persons who do not need to repent.” (v. 7). There is repentance, there is a turning around, but it is a result of being found, not the cause of it. When God untangles me from all my incessant questioning and struggling, what else would I do but fall into his arms. Paul tells us exactly this: It is God’s kindness that leads us to repentance. (Rom 2:4).
A Party Like No Other
Let’s not rush past the result of God’s finding us – a party! All of heaven is rejoicing when they see what God has done. Even, perhaps especially, the father in the prodigal son story - he cannot wait to throw a party for his son who is home again in his arms.
I would encourage you to actually imagine this happening to you. You might experience it like this:
You find yourself in utter darkness. The voices of accusation and self-flagellation never stop. You are lost. The shame, the fear, the failures - they continually rehearse in your mind. Then, some rustling and a strong pair of arms pulls you from the darkness and hoists you up in the air. The light forces you to squint. You are fearful at first but then, then, you see Love has found you and you relax into Love’s arms. You are carried home tenderly, words of beauty, affirmation, courage are spoken over you, to you, into you. You arrive home. You wonder about the reception you will receive. As much as you disappointed yourself you know you have hurt so many others. You brace yourself. The door swings open and the whole place erupts with joy! The music blares, the dancing starts, the drinks flow, and all because you have been found and brought home.
Perhaps there is a part of you feeling lost at the moment. Here's a prayer:
Father, in your mercy, find me and bring me home.
Thank you for reading. Until next Thursday . . .
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