prodigal son

Change in Position

June 12, 2012 By Marji "Mike" Kruger

“For this son of mine was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.” So they began to celebrate. (NIV) Luke 15:24

“For this son of mine was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.” Can you imagine the look of love that must have been on the father’s face as he said that!?! The father in the parable is the picture of the Heavenly Father. Just as the father in the parable exemplified authentic, self-sacrificing love towards his son, our Heavenly Father extends authentic, self-sacrificing LOVE to us.

God wants us in His family. . .in His presence. . .with Him forever. . .to lavish us with honor, royalty, and blessings. . .to give us sufficiency in being His child. He does not want to just clothe us in outer beauty, but in the righteousness of Jesus Christ Himself. He wants to transform us from the inside out. He will not feed us with a fattened calf, but will feed us on His word. He is not interested in just the celebration of a banquet, but in joyful living.

Our heavenly Father’s compassion is offered to change our eternal destiny, and make a marked difference in the quality of life today. If there is still something missing from your life, run to the Father, spend time with Him in His Word, and allow Him to transform you into all that He has created you to be!

Re-Fathered

June 11, 2012 By Marji "Mike" Kruger

“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.'” (NIV) Luke 15:22-23

The father gave a shocking command when he said, “Put a ring on his finger and sandals on his feet.” The ring signified full rights for the son. Today we would say it gave him power of attorney. The son now had the authority to manage the rest of the family fortune. He had squandered one third of the family’s wealth and now the father was entrusting him with the remainder of the assets. What irony! And the sandals. . . only servants went barefoot, sons wore shoes. He came home barefoot, as a servant, but now, his father is showing he’s a son!

And if all of this was not enough, the father exclaimed, “Bring the fattened calf and kill it. Let’s have a feast and celebrate.” The son had come home a vagabond and was “re-fathered” – he became a son with new status, new rights, a new authority, and a new love for his father. He came in rags, and was adorned in splendor. He came hungry, hungry for not just food, but meaning and purpose in life, the father fed him a banquet. He came home unworthy. . .and because of his father’s loving compassion, his life was changed forever!

How great is the love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God! And that is what we are! (NIV) I John 3:1

Only The Best Will Do!

June 10, 2012 By Marji "Mike" Kruger

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 son said to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son.’ “But the father said to his servants, ‘Quick! Bring the best robe and put it on him.'” (NIV) Luke 15:20-22

The son who was obviously weak (food had been scarce), he was dirty and stunk from having fed pigs (Luke 15:15). But, the father did not care. . .he kissed him over and over.

Have you ever wondered what might have been going through the son’s mind? Was he thinking . . .”I’ve been rebellious. I’ve always questioned my father’s ways. . . and all his rules. I wanted independence. . . to live life to the hilt. But, I was ungrateful and irresponsible. In my self-centered pride I’ve totally blown it! How could he have known that I was coming back? After all I’ve done to him and my family, why did he run to me? Why has he extended this kindness towards me?”

The son was the first to break the silence. He said, “Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son.” The father did not respond with: “You are darn right! You are not worthy! Why you aren’t worthy to be a slave for the poorest family in the village!” Before the son could say another word, the father said to his servants, “Quick! Bring the best robe and put it on him.” Not just any robe, but his best robe! The type of robe that was worn at festivals and grand occasions. It was a gesture that demonstrated that he had accepted his son back.

Think about it. . . “But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” (NIV) Romans 5:8

I bet that as the father ran to his son, he had a smile on his face and a look of love in his eyes! What do you think?

The Look of Love

June 9, 2012 By Marji "Mike" Kruger

There was a man who had two sons. The younger of the two received his inheritance, lived recklessly, and spent all his money. In the midst of a famine and desperation, the son came to his senses. He realized his sin, decided to return home to ask for his father’s forgiveness and request to become one of his father’s servants.

While the younger son was in the distant land, his father waited. He never gave up hope! Did the father go to the edge of his property each morning at sunrise and look toward the road that brought travelers into town hoping his son would return? It would not surprise me if he did!

His son did return. . . the father spotted his son . . . a lone figure on the horizon, trudging slowly, but purposefully toward town. The son who at the beginning insisted on unhampered control over his own life, now left his destiny entirely in his father’s hands. I wonder if he understood how much he had wounded his father’s heart. The father knew that his son would suffer from the villagers insults, accusations, and ridicule, and perhaps even be subjected to physical abuse.

But while the son “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” (Luke 15:20). From the depths of the father’s being, his heart went out to his son. . . the father began running to his son. (A nobleman never runs anywhere – this was incredibly undignified! But he hiked up his robe, and ran in front of all the men, women, and children of the village!) Although some would never forgive that boy, the father hugged him and kissed him over and over. . . a physical demonstration of self-emptying love.

Unconditional, forgiving love. . . a description of our Heavenly Father’s love for us! A physical demonstration of self-emptying love. . . a description of Christ’s love for us demonstrated on the cross! Run to God right now. . . sit at His feet. . . worship Him. . . soak in His love for you. . . and in whatever way He leads you, demonstrate your love for Him.

A Heartfelt Decision

June 8, 2012 By Marji "Mike" Kruger

“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! 18 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 men.'” (NIV) Luke 15:17-19

There was a father with two sons – the younger of the two received his inheritance early and took off to find a new way of living. After the son went through all his money, a severe famine hit. With no money and no food, the boy became a servant. The son’s stubbornness led him to the depths of despair and the most basic physiological need – he needed to eat! But, hardship has a way of bringing one to his senses. . . finally he changed his mind. . . He knew that his father’s servants had food to spare! He decided to “go back to his 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 men'” (Luke 15:18-19). His sorrow was not for what he had lost, but for what he had done: he had sinned. He was determined to acknowledge what he had done. After all, it had been his own decision.

What do you do when you know you are wrong? Are you quick to confess your sin? Or do you try to find ways to justify your actions?

Have you deliberately chosen to sever a relationship? Perhaps it’s not leaving home, but instead deliberately withholding your love from someone, or refusing to trust after being hurt.

Will you choose to first run to God and confess your sin? and then run to the one who needs to hear a sincere, heartfelt confession? Before any more time passes, make it right between you and God . . . and between you and the one who needs to have the relationship restored!

A Distant Land

June 7, 2012 By Marji "Mike" Kruger

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. (NIV) Luke 15:14-16

There was a father with two sons – the younger of the two received his inheritance early and took off to find a new way of living. Without the restraining influence of the father’s supervision, the son wasted his wealth in wild undisciplined, riotous living. Thomas Huxley has said: “A man’s worst difficulties begin when he is able to do just as he likes.” That was what happened.

After the son had spent everything, there was a severe famine and two disasters hit him at once – there was no money and no food. The boy, once a son of a nobleman, became a servant. He had erroneously thought that money would bring him freedom, but in the end, it enslaved him. For awhile life started looking better. . .but, it got worse. No one cared. . . he was a nobody. . . he had no identity apart from his family. Once he cut the ties with his family, he lost his security, his assurance of marriage, and his physical and emotional well-being. His master sent him to his fields to feed pigs. He became so desperate he longed to “fill his stomach with the pods that the pigs were eating, but no one gave him anything” (Luke 15:16).

When have you felt like you wandered into a distant country? When have you felt lost in life’s complexities? Have you run your life your own way, but now it hasn’t worked out how you envisioned it? Perhaps you are not sure why you are in your profession. . . it is unfulfilling, working long hours, the money you are making now seemed like it would be sufficient ten years ago, but there never seems to be enough. Or perhaps your marriage is not what you signed up for at the altar. . .you promised you would love each other until the end, but now you are only half-way and it seems like such a struggle, the love is not there and you hardly know each other.

What dreams have you been chasing? What have you been pursuing that you thought would bring you happiness and purpose in life? But now, there’s only emptiness. Don’t lose hope in the “distant country.” There is One who desires to fill the emptiness with purpose, fill the despair with hope, fill your heart with love and joy, and welcome you home. . . welcome you home in His home!

A Wounded Heart

June 6, 2012 By Marji "Mike" Kruger

There was a man who had two sons. In the Jewish culture, the first born son was entitled to special honor and attention. One day, the younger son mustered up some courage, and said to his father, “Father, give me my share of the estate.” Now that was no small request. No one ever asked for his inheritance before his father died. There’s no law or custom among the Jews which entitles a son to a share of the father’s wealth while the father is still alive. This request was as good as saying to his father, “I wish you were dead.” Most fathers would have beaten a son who made such a request. But, this father surprisingly, granted the request and divided his property between the two sons.

“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” (Luke 15:13). He lost everything. Most likely, the property and animals that he had inherited were sold off quickly as the buyers bargained down the prices. The son was probably indifferent to the family, and accepted whatever price he was offered. On the other hand, it was staggering loss to the family when suddenly one third of their accumulated wealth was gone. Did the son choose to deliberately wound his father’s heart?

Perhaps you know someone who is ungrateful and feels no responsibility towards their family. . . someone who has broken all ties, cut off all their roots with their family altogether. Have you had someone close to you deliberately choose to wound your heart? a son or daughter who has left home? a spouse who has hurt you deeply? a parent who never extends any love to you? or a close friend that you never expected to treat you the way that he or she did? Chances are that each one of us knows the hurt that this father was feeling. But, know for sure that there is a love that never disappoints, never ceases, and is always enough. . . and that love comes from your Heavenly Father.

prodigal son

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