Day 16 | Paul’s story

Reflection

This story is told by Paul Cowley in the Alpha film series.

Paul didn’t remember seeing too much of his father in his younger life. His dad was either drunk or away with a woman who wasn’t his mother. It was a highly challenging relationship and one that eventually dissolved in early adulthood.

Years later, Paul became a Christian. Many things in his life were now different, and one of them, though he could scarcely believe it, was the desire to restore the relationship with his father.

In his own words, Paul thought his dad would have changed over the years, just as he had himself. But, his dad hadn’t changed. He was exactly as Paul remembered, except maybe worse.

Nevertheless, Paul invited his dad down to London to visit him. On one such visit, his dad became unwell and spent a week in the local hospital. Wanting to get him home once he was better, Paul took his dad to the station and sat him down on the train.

And there, in that carriage, an overwhelming feeling of love for his father swept Paul off his feet. The only thing to do, then, was to upgrade his dad’s already expensive ticket to first class. Make no mistake – this was powerful, purposeful restoration work. Less the prodigal son, and more the prodigal father.

Paul describes the sight of his dad reclining in his leather seat, receiving a cup of tea and some biscuits, and reading his newspaper with the biggest smile on his face as the train left the platform.

That was the last time Paul ever saw his dad. Three weeks later, he died. The years of womanising, arguing, drinking, and neglect somehow, someway, melted into an enduring peace for Paul, so that the thing he remembered most about his dad was his beaming smile as he left Euston station for the last time.

Father, in the way that truly only you can, give us the strength to show grace, forgiveness, and love to our family as we seek to restore broken relationships. Amen.