Lost And Found

His father said to him, “Look, dear son, you have always stayed by me, and everything I have is yours. We had to celebrate this happy day. For your brother was dead and has come back to life! He was lost, but now he is found!”

Luke 15:31-32

THE PARABLE OF the Prodigal Son in Luke 15 is a story most Christians know and greatly treasure. But there are also many stories of prodigal children in families today—even families in our churches.

One such prodigal, a girl of eighteen, stormed out of her family’s house one night and refused to return. She went to live with a boyfriend and quickly forgot all her vows of purity from earlier days. She didn’t get pregnant, but she did spend many nights with different guys who wanted little more than her body.

Meanwhile, her family prayed repeatedly for her to turn around. They prayed every day and every night—until the night she came to the front door, broken and fearful. When her father answered, she said, “I know you probably hate me. I’ve really messed up. Can I stay here tonight? I have nowhere else to go.”

Her father swept her up in his arms, kissed her, and assured her she could stay for as many nights as she wanted. She stayed for a while, began going to church again, and met a young man who had been through some bad things like she had. Their hearts resonated, and soon they were in love. But they both decided to obey the Lord and remain pure until their marriage. Today, they have a happy home with two small children they love.

The parable of the Prodigal Son is, in effect, a promise that God will welcome his prodigal children back home. No matter how far they have wandered, God will always celebrate over prodigals who realize the futility of their wanderings and return to the Father’s unconditional love.