"When he came to his senses"

[bcool]

The Prodigal son will grow in grace. His mind has to change to a new world-view. Everything the younger son had hoped to find in the far country, he discovered back home: clothes, jewelry, friends, joyful celebration, love, and assurance for the future. So what made the difference? Before his father now he says, ‘Father, I am not worthy!’ ---the only asset in his portfolio.

We see here a touch of true humility in the prodigal boy's heart: "I am no longer worthy to be called your son" ( Luke 15:21). Careful though. Humility is not just about attitude, it is also about orientation. This orientation is formed in the understanding that God delighted in taking that which the world considered useless (Calvary's cross) and making it into something that would demonstrate His grace and power to a lost and dying world. Only God can take his fallen creature and change his human nature and by doing so develop in him the grace orientation that Paul expressed: "I can do all things through Christ who keeps on strengthening me" (Philippians 4:13).

So instead of 'make me work as one of your hired men' (See Luke 15:19), the Prodigal son receives his father's love which is freely given and silences any notion of trying to merit it.

Celebrate and be glad for how richly God chooses to bless even the most Prodigal of Prodigals. And just find delight in living for God's sake rather than your own.

-Brad

[Keith]

Praise and thanks to the Lord for His love of and dieing for this unworthy servant, and thank you Brad, that's beautiful.

[Steve]

The Prodigal Son is probably my favorite parable. For someone who denied Christ for the first 31 years of his life I can definitely identify with the older son. There is so much to learn here.