11 Jesus continued: “There was a man who had two sons. 12 The 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. 14 After he had spent everything, there was a severe famine in that whole country, and he began to be in need. 15 So he went and hired himself out to a citizen of that country, who sent him to his fields to feed pigs. 16 He 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 servants have food to spare, and here I am starving to death! 18 I will set out and go back to my father and say to him: Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you. 19 I am no longer worthy to be called your son; make me like one of your hired servants.’ 20 So 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. 23 Bring the fattened calf and kill it. Let’s have a feast and celebrate. 24 For 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. 26 So 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. 29 But 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. 30 But 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. 32 But we had to celebrate and be glad, because this brother of yours was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.’”
Revelation 21:5
Jesus Can Make All Things New
5 He who was seated on the throne said, "I am making everything new!" Then he said, "Write this down, for these words are trustworthy and true."
When Jesus taught us the Parable of the Lost Son, we see love...And we see love from what I might call -different angles...The story is about the homecoming of a son, who comes to senses and realizes that his father loves him...And about his older brother who has a different perspective...Their father has never stopped loving his free spending son or his older brother...LOVE comes at us, and is found in many things and in many ways...
The prodigal son went out to see and find the world...The younger son got together all he had and set off for a distant country...There he squandered all his wealth in wild living...After he had spent all that he had, there was a severe famine in that whole country, and he began to be in need...He was lost, and living on the fringe of society...Now with no money and now very poor, he went and got a job...The job was one of feeding pigs...He longed to work and be paid enough to fill his stomach with the pods that the pigs were eating, but no one gave him anything...He was starving and on his own...He must have felt alone...
When the prodigal son comes to his senses, the younger son said, ‘How many of my father’s hired servants have food to spare, and here I am starving to death!...I will set out and go back to my father and say to him: Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you...I am no longer worthy to be called your son; make me like one of your hired servants.’...So 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...The love of the father for his son had never left...“The son said to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you...I am no longer worthy to be called your son.’...The young lost son wanted mercy...“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...Bring the fattened calf and kill it...Let’s have a feast and celebrate...For this son of mine was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.’...So they began to celebrate...
The younger son can see the love of his father in his running to him...He can see his love in the robe and the ring...He can see the love in the celebration...The older son seems to be wanting praise or the recognition for staying and working with his father through the years, but has not gotten this...The older son is angered and jealous of the celebration his father is putting on for his lost brother, who is now back...LOVE is not given by what one does or does not do...I can see the things in both the sons that might be also in me...There are times in our lives when we maybe like the younger son and maybe sometimes we act like the older son...We are LOVED regardless of what we do or who we are...
Of course, the father of the two sons is God...He is, in fact, our Father in heaven...God LOVES us no matter what we accomplish or do not accomplish...He does not care where were are, what we have, or how famous we are, or how hard we work -He LOVES all of us...Careless spending, wild living, squandering, sinning, and we make mistakes...But God still LOVES us...We do not earn credit or an extra credit for His LOVE in the things we do or don't do...God still LOVES us...We also can be jealous, conceited, and be judgmental...Both brothers had issues that God forgave or will forgive them...God can renew and restore...He can make all things new again...All the things that God has, and His LOVE is ours to have...Jesus tells us in the Parable that everything I (the Father) have is yours...God's LOVE is an attribute of His Infinite Grace...We learn much about love from Jesus...We learn the love is found in forgiving, being merciful, and being humble and gracious...LOVE is found in His Infinite Grace, His Infinite Mercy, and His Infinite Ability to Forgive...His LOVE is ours to have...