Revealing Jesus with Darlene ZschechSample

The Younger Son

What a familiar picture. All of us know a younger son. He is someone who is loved and rightfully raised by parents, yet he insists on rejecting this love in order to make his own way in life. This younger son is not one who is showing maturity and responsibility for his own actions; he is purposely heading in the opposite direction of how he has been raised. He is rebellious.

Rebelliousness is part of our makeup since the fall of Adam and Eve. Embedded in our nature is a desire to say to God that we will do things the way we want to. We won’t listen to Him or anyone else, even if doing things our own way is obviously foolish. So the younger son’s demand to give him his share of the family wealth—even though he really didn’t do anything to create that wealth—is not so surprising. What is so surprising is that the father listens to him and lets him have his way. He didn’t force him into obedience; he gave him the choice to love or reject him.

Our gracious heavenly Father loves us so much that He too wants us to love Him freely. That means He will never force us to love and obey Him. He puts the choice into our hands, even if we squander all He has given us in the riches of His grace.

I would say to any parent who is suffering the heartbreak of a rebellious child to read on. There is always hope. I would say to all of us, let’s never forget how much God loves us. He loves us so much that His desire is for us to love Him freely back.

Thank you for the spiritual wealth you have given me, O Father. May I never squander or waste it. Thank you for your love for me, your child.

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