General News
20 April, 2025
In good faith
Have you ever had a moment when you thought "Well, that was a bad idea"?
I know I have, many times over the years.
I’m sure you can think of times when you’ve done things you later came to regret.
The parable of the prodigal son (Lk. 15:11-31) is all about those ‘bad idea’ times.
A young man took his inheritance, travelled to a distant country, squandered his money and ended up starving.
But then something remarkable happened: he realised what he had done and went back to his father’s house.
This isn’t just a moralistic story.
The parable of the prodigal son is an image of the relationship between us and God.
Like the prodigal son, we have all departed from God and gone off to do our own thing – the bad idea to end all bad ideas.
But how do we know?
We may sense from time to time that there is something wrong with the world around us, but how often do we see ourselves as part of the problem?
We only realise because God makes us aware – He gives us rules to follow.
But we have to remember that these aren’t there for us to follow and be ‘a good person'.
God gives us laws and rules to show us how we fail to meet His standards.
We ourselves are God’s own prodigal sons and daughters.
But remember the parable of the prodigal son – he realised his mistake, he saw how he had failed.
But then he did something else – he returned home, and his father welcomed him with open arms.
In fact, the prodigal son’s father welcomed him home with a great feast.
Just as the prodigal son is an image of ourselves, so his father is an image of God.
When He brings us to realise our failings, He welcomes us home with forgiveness and restoration.
into heaven by simply being obedient.
No-one is obedient enough.
Rather, when we fail to follow God’s rules – like the prodigal son – God forgives and restores us just like the father in the parable.
Why?
Not because we deserve it.
Nor even because it’s in His nature to forgive (even though it certainly is).
He forgives and restores all who turn to Him, for the sake of His Son Jesus Christ, who died on the cross so we would no longer be troubled by sin or death.
The realisation that we are God’s prodigal, wayward children must never stand on its own.
cross to save us from all sin and death, always goes along with it.
and hope may be found: in the Lord.
Like the father in the parable of the prodigal son, God runs to meet us with His arms outstretched – all for the sake of His Son Jesus Christ.
– LUCAS MATUSCHKA