Advent Day 15: Read: Luke 15

Prodigal: having or giving something on a lavish scale

In today’s reading, Jesus emphasizes the lengths he goes to in order to bring someone back to himself. While the younger son is often the focus of Jesus’ story of the wealthy man with two sons (Parable of the Lost Son) and is even entitled, “The Prodigal Son”, the more poignant point of the story is the love of the Father. It perhaps is more rightly entitled, “The Prodigal Father”.

My favorite phrase in this entire chapter is in verse 20: “…and while he was still a long way off, his father saw him coming.” As I sit with that phrase, my mind’s eye sees a father who, every day, keeps watch for the possibility that his son will return. And because he was watching, he saw him when he was still a long way off.

The Father still watches for us today. He continues to love us and believe that when we wander, we will come back. And he lavishly, even recklessly, pours his love out on us.

You aren’t too far away for the Father to see you. He longs for your return and waits expectantly every day!