11 April | Youth
«But when he came to himself, he said, “How many of my father’s hired servants have bread enough and to spare, and I perish with hunger!”» Luke 15:17
The prodigal son had a series of falls. He fell when he asked for his inheritance, he fell when he left his father's house, he fell when he went to a distant land, he fell when he wasted his money, he fell when he looked for the lord of that distant land, and he fell when he agreed to take care of pigs.
However, after reaching rock bottom, what no one expected happened: he fell again. But this time his fall was “upwards.” He “came to his senses,” says the Bible. Amidst the pigs, with dirty and torn clothes, the ragged son remembered the comfort of his father's home. There was food, shelter, warmth and, most importantly: his father's eternal love.
The Bible states that it is the goodness of the Lord that leads us to repentance (Rom 2:4). When we look at God's mercy, we fall into the grace of a Father who never tires of loving. At the same time, we see the deplorable condition we find ourselves in and feel sadness for having hurt our Father's heart. The apostle Paul describes this reality: “For godly sorrow produces repentance leading to salvation, not to be regretted; but the sorrow of the world produces death” (2 Cor 7:10). What blessed sorrow!
After realizing that he had traded everything for nothing, the prodigal son decided to return to his father (Luke 15:18). This is the result of true repentance. The person abandons their old life. He abandoned the pigs. He recognized that he had sinned against God and against his neighbor. He left the solitude imposed by sin and returned not just home, but to a wonderful Person.
It is beautiful to imagine that, while the hungry boy was staggering towards home, there was a bull being well cared for on his father's farm, ready for the celebration of his arrival. While the son lacked dignity in a foreign land, the father had already prepared a ring, shoes and the best clothes for his return. While the boy had doubts about being forgiven, his father waited anxiously for him on the side of the road.
This is exactly what God does for you today. He patiently awaits your return. If you are still in a “distant land,” serving a “bad master,” experiencing “hunger,” and caring for “pigs,” come to your senses and return home soon. Only there will you find love, freedom and real happiness.