Luke 15:11-32
The Parable of the Lost Son
11Jesus continued: "There was a man who had two sons. 12The younger one said to his father, 'Father, give me my share of the estate.' So he divided his property between them.
13"Not long after that, the younger son got together all he had, set off for a distant country and there squandered his wealth in wild living. 14After he had spent everything, there was a severe famine in that whole country, and he began to be in need. 15So he went and hired himself out to a citizen of that country, who sent him to his fields to feed pigs. 16He longed to fill his stomach with the pods that the pigs were eating, but no one gave him anything.
17"When he came to his senses, he said, 'How many of my father's hired men have food to spare, and here I am starving to death! 18I will set out and go back to my father and say to him: Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you. 19I am no longer worthy to be called your son; make me like one of your hired men.' 20So he got up and went to his father.
"But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and was filled with compassion for him; he ran to his son, threw his arms around him and kissed him.
21"The son said to him, 'Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son.'
22"But the father said to his servants, 'Quick! Bring the best robe and put it on him. Put a ring on his finger and sandals on his feet. 23Bring the fattened calf and kill it. Let's have a feast and celebrate.24For this son of mine was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.' So they began to celebrate.
25"Meanwhile, the older son was in the field. When he came near the house, he heard music and dancing. 26So he called one of the servants and asked him what was going on. 27'Your brother has come,' he replied, 'and your father has killed the fattened calf because he has him back safe and sound.'
28"The older brother became angry and refused to go in. So his father went out and pleaded with him. 29But he answered his father, 'Look! All these years I've been slaving for you and never disobeyed your orders. Yet you never gave me even a young goat so I could celebrate with my friends. 30But when this son of yours who has squandered your property with prostitutes comes home, you kill the fattened calf for him!'
31" 'My son,' the father said, 'you are always with me, and everything I have is yours. 32But we had to celebrate and be glad, because this brother of yours was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.' "
Freewill is an interesting subject and it is God's Will to allow us to have freewill...Sometimes I wonder why God even allows us freewill when we know His decisions are always the Right Ones and since He LOVES us He is the best One to help us make our daily decisions...When we make our own decisions without praying and listening for Him or His Son, we often travel down the road that leads to trouble and destruction...When one loves someone, you cannot force yourself on the one you love...One happens to fall in love with the right partner, with the help of God...God does not want us to be tempted by the prince of darkness, but wants us to see the Light of His Son...And by allowing us freewill in our daily decisions, we either make our decisions with Him or without Him...But let us remember as the prodigal son remembered when he came to His senses...God is always full of mercy...God is always full of forgiveness...God is always there...And God is LOVE, and He always LOVES us...
Henri Jozef Machiel Nouwen, a Dutch Catholic priest, professor, writer and theologian wrote: “The Father’s LOVE does not force itself on the beloved...Although He wants to heal us of all our inner darkness, we are still free to make our own choice to stay in the darkness or to step into the Light of God’s LOVE...God is there...God’s Light is there...God’s forgiveness is there...God’s boundless LOVE is there...What is so clear is that God is always there, always ready to give and forgive, absolutely independent of our response...God’s LOVE does not depend on our repentance or our inner or outer changes.”...