Thought for the Week 2021 – Lent 4

Luke 15: 11 - 32

¹¹ Jesus continued: ‘There was a man who had two sons. ¹² The younger one said to his father, “Father, give me my share of the estate.” So he divided his property between them.

¹³ ‘Not long after that, the younger son got together all he had, set off for a distant country and there squandered his wealth in wild living. ¹⁴ After he had spent everything, there was a severe famine in that whole country, and he began to be in need. ¹⁵ So he went and hired himself out to a citizen of that country, who sent him to his fields to feed pigs. ¹⁶ He longed to fill his stomach with the pods that the pigs were eating, but no one gave him anything.

¹⁷ ‘When he came to his senses, he said, “How many of my father’s hired servants have food to spare, and here I am starving to death! ¹⁸ I will set out and go back to my father and say to him: Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you. ¹⁹ I am no longer worthy to be called your son; make me like one of your hired servants.” ²⁰ So he got up and went to his father.

‘But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and was filled with compassion for him; he ran to his son, threw his arms round him and kissed him.

²¹ ‘The son said to him, “Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son.”

²² ‘But the father said to his servants, “Quick! Bring the best robe and put it on him. Put a ring on his finger and sandals on his feet. ²³ Bring the fattened calf and kill it. Let’s have a feast and celebrate. ²⁴ For this son of mine was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.” So they began to celebrate.

²⁵ ‘Meanwhile, the elder son was in the field. When he came near the house, he heard music and dancing. ²⁶ So he called one of the servants and asked him what was going on. ²⁷ “Your brother has come,” he replied, “and your father has killed the fattened calf because he has him back safe and sound.”

²⁸ ‘The elder brother became angry and refused to go in. So his father went out and pleaded with him. ²⁹ But he answered his father, “Look! All these years I’ve been slaving for you and never disobeyed your orders. Yet you never gave me even a young goat so I could celebrate with my friends. ³⁰ But when this son of yours who has squandered your property with prostitutes comes home, you kill the fattened calf for him!”

³¹ ‘“My son,” the father said, “you are always with me, and everything I have is yours. ³² But we had to celebrate and be glad, because this brother of yours was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.”’

 

Lent 4 – Examine Your Heart

This Lent period, we are examining ourselves in the light of the life, death and resurrection of our Saviour. This week we are using a well-known parable that Jesus told, in order to help us examine ourselves before God.

Who am I most like in this story? And who are you most like? In order to help us answer that question, we need to look at who the people in the story represent. It is clear that the father in the story represents our Father God. He is the one who is the source of all that we have, and who has the power to administer justice or show mercy. The father in the story can exercise his legal right to turn his sons out onto the street, or he can show mercy and love and welcome them in as part of the family.

The younger son represents a person who has chosen to reject God – blatantly living a selfish life. But when he realises how bad that life is, he comes back to his father repenting, and ready to accept the very smallest amount of acceptance. The older son in the story represents someone who has worked hard for God all his life. He has never run away in a blatantly selfish way, but it is clear in the story that although he does not reject God in an obvious, outward way, his heart harbours selfishness and bitterness. And when the time comes for him to follow his father’s example, and show forgiveness to one who has turned back, he can’t find that forgiveness or mercy in his heart. All he can find is resentment.

So I ask the question again – which character(s) in the story are you and I most like? Maybe we would want to say we are like the younger son, who has come to God in true repentance, and has received great mercy and forgiveness. Yes, that is true – but were we rebellious like him before we came to God? Quite probably not. Are we like the father himself – standing at the gate, searching for those who would return to God, running to greet them and to show them love, mercy, forgiveness and a welcome? Well, we would like to be like that, but in practice we are often not like that. So are we like the older son? Working hard all our lives, following the rules, and resenting those who live a very different life and yet still receive mercy?

In practice, there are elements of all three characters that we find and recognise in our own lives. May it be that our lives reflect the best elements of each of the characters in this story.

 

Prayer

Lord, I thank you that you show unending mercy and forgiveness to all who come to you in repentance. Thank you that you run to meet us when we turn to you! May I truly repent of my sins and come to you in honesty. Please search my heart and deal with any bitterness, pride, arrogance and resentment that you find there. Help me to be honest in turning to you in humility. Amen.