The Prodigal Son

He asked his father for his inheritance early, which was as good as wishing him dead, then left home and spent it all (Luke 15:11-13). When the money ran out and a famine hit, he ended up feeding pigs and envying their food (Luke 15:14-16). He came to his senses, rehearsed an apology, and started the long walk home, expecting to be hired as a servant (Luke 15:17-19). His father saw him a long way off, ran to him, and threw a party before the apology was even finished (Luke 15:20-24). If you matched with the Prodigal Son, you know what it is to leave, to hit the bottom, and to wonder whether you can ever go back.

You learn by living it, sometimes the hard way. You followed your appetites out the door and found that freedom without your father was just a nicer-looking emptiness. Underneath the wandering is someone who can be honest when it finally falls apart, and who is closer to home than you think.

With people you are magnetic and a little unreliable, generous when flush and absent when broke. Rebuilding trust is your long work. With God you are learning the thing the son never expected: the Father was watching the road the whole time. You came back braced for a lecture and got a party instead (Luke 15:20).

Under pressure you bolt or you spend, chasing relief in the next thing. The turn is not cleaning yourself up first. It is starting the walk home while you are still a mess. The father ran the distance the son could not finish.