The Prodigal Father

"The Lord makes firm the steps of the one who delights in him; though he may stumble, he will not fall, for the Lord upholds him with his hand" Psalms 37:23-24

The celebrated Rembrandt painting, 'The Return of the Prodigal Son' has a prominent place at the Hermitage Museum in St Petersburg. Staring at it, I was quickly drawn to the figure of the father in resplendent red. Rembrandt's portrayal of the father captures the divine act of compassion in a most human person.

This was the moment when the father received his errant son back into the family with unconditional love and forgiveness. The father that Rembrandt chose to paint is that of an aging blind man. The significance is not lost to any repentant sinner; God is 'blind' to our excesses when we return to Him like this prodigal son.

I entitled this post the Prodigal Father to express the largess and magnanimity of this old man. This blind old man in red was not concerned about himself. He loved unconditionally, caring only for son. He gave without expecting anything in return. Seldom will one experience this kind of love.

George Matheson, preacher and theologian, was born on 27th March 1842. After excelling at school he entered Glasgow University where he studied Classics, Logic and Philosophy. He graduated with first class honours when he was only 19 years old but a deep tragedy was being worked out in his life.  He had an incurable condition that would eventually result in total blindness. Whilst at University he had met and fallen in love with a girl who was a fellow student and they were planning to get married. He broke the news of his impending blindness to her, would she still marry him? To his deep sadness her blunt answer came to him with the force of a dagger to his heart, “I do not want to be the wife of a blind man” she said – and with that they parted. George never did marry but he learnt soon enough that there was another love and this love is enduring - the love of Christ for the sinner. He penned these words 

"O Love that wilt not let me go,

I rest my weary soul in thee;

I give thee back the life I owe,
That in thine ocean depths its flow
May richer, fuller be."

When the prodigal son forsook his father and took his inheritance, he expected the father to disown him. There must have been a deep seated grief in the father when this unfaithful son left. That did not prevent an attitude taking shape in the the father towards this wayward son, a willingness to forgive. This forgiving spirit translates to generosity in the extravagant reception and feasting when the son, returning home was restored to his place and wealth.

King David of Israel confidently wrote in Psalms 23:6, "I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever". Unlike David, I am not so confident and ever so often, I need a reality check. Like the prodigal son, I feel that from time to time I will digress, stray and leave. Yet somehow there is a Love that will not let me go. Hence I believe, I will always return. There is a love that burns within us, a love that guarantees that although we may stumble, we will not fall for the Lord upholds us with His hand.

Lionel

True Repentance

The Prodigal Son in Repentance

"If my people who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and I will forgive their sins and will heal their land." 2 Chronicles 7:14

In the heyday of the evangelistic crusades, scores of people answered the altar call to find salvation in Jesus. Despite the emotional outpouring and the prayers to receive Christ, many did not receive salvation. The Bible said that they are like seeds that when sown never took roots and did not bear fruits. Their encounters with Jesus were short-lived and no true conversions took place.

One would assume as these people stepped forward they would regret their sinful nature. They would make a U-turn and return to God and find in Jesus, forgiveness of sin and strength to live a new life. That would be true repentance or t'shuva in Hebrew and it means more than to regret or to feel sorry; it means to turn back. Unfortunately many were led by emotional responses instead of truly repudiating their past lives and sins and then, coming by faith to accept Jesus Christ as their saviour.

J I Packer in his book, Rediscovering Holiness (Ref 1) argued that Christians are called to a life of habitual repentance. Packer pointed out that the very first of Luther's ninety-five thesis, nailed to the Wittenberg church door in 1517, declared: "When our Lord and Master Jesus Christ said, "Repent" He willed that the whole life of believers should be one of repentance".

What is repentance? J I Packer outlined that repentance means:

• Realistic recognition that one has disobeyed and failed God, doing wrong instead of doing right
• Regretful remorse at the dishonour one has done to the God one is learning to love and wanting to serve
• Reverent requesting of God' pardon, cleansing of conscience, and help to not lapse in the same way again
• Resolute renunciation of the sins in question, with deliberate thought as to how to keep clear of them and live right for the future
• Requisite restitution to any who have suffered material loss through one's wrongdoing.

One example of true repentance is found in the return of the Prodigal Son. This man had disgracefully sought after his inheritance from his father and squandered it in riotous living. He left home with pride and money but he was reduced to looking after pigs, losing all his dignity. He was no longer considered a human being. He was down in the dumps. That was exactly where we were at until we made the choice to return to God. The Prodigal finally came to his senses and made the long journey home.

Repentance is not easy. Its effects must be deep, changing our characters, behaviours and lives. John Wesley said that God has forgiven all on the cross, but not all have repented. After we have repented and found the forgiveness of God, like son and father we are reconciled. This is the same place we should all want to be in; our relationship with God being fully restored. Henri Nouwen wrote in the "Return of the Prodigal Son", (ref 2) "The father's embrace of his son told me that I was desperately searching for the that inner place where I too could be held as safely".

Lionel

Ref 1: J I Packer, "Rediscovering Holiness - Know the Fullness of Life with God". Regal 
Ref 2: Henri Nouwen, "The Return of the Prodigal Son - A story of Homecoming." Image books Doubleday


    

When God Ran

Rembrandt - "Prodigal Son"

"But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were yet sinners, Christ died for us." Romans 5:8

The Parable of the Prodigal Son could also be renamed the Parable of the Prodigal Father. Prodigal means extravagance. Taken in the light of the son, it is a story of an extravagantly wasteful person, who took his inheritance prematurely from his father and squandered it. However, it also told a story of a father's extravagant love for his son, who in spite of the grievous insults done him, was profusely abundant in forgiveness and reconciliation. 

In one of his last paintings, Rembrandt captured this moment of Christian mercy with solemnity. This picture now hangs in the Hermitage Museum at St Petersburg. Bathed in light against a dark background, viewers of the painting are drawn to the two characters and the emotional homecoming. The son has an appearance of an outcast. Ruined and repulsive, he returned after wasting his heritage in foreign lands. His old father, dressed in rich garments hurried to meet him and received this long-lost son with gentle fatherly love. Henri Nouwen said that Rembrandt painted father and son, compassion and misery, God and humanity.

In a more modern rendition of the event, this amazing grace of a prodigal father was put to song by Benny Hester and John Parenti, “When God Ran". 

Almighty God, the Great I Am

Immovable Rock, 

Omnipotent, Powerful Awesome Lord,

Victorious Warrior 

Commanding King of Kings, Mighty Conqueror

And the only time

The only time run I ever saw Him run

Was when He ran to me

Took me in His arms

Held my head to His chest

Said “My son's come home again"

Lifted my face

Wiped the tears from my eyes

With forgiveness in His voice

He said "Son do you know I still love you?"

It caught me by surprise

It brought me to my knees

When God ran

It might sound strange, but God wants to find us as much as we want to find God. God is not the patriarch who stays at home, doesn't move, and expects his children to come to him, apologise for their aberrant behaviour, beg for forgiveness and promise to do better. On the contrary, he leaves the house, ignoring his dignity by running toward them, pays no heed to apologies and promises of change, and brings them to the table richly prepared for them. Nouwen (Ref 1)

How blessed and fortunate we are! When you next read the parable of the prodigal son, think of the image of a repentant sinner leaning against his father's breast and the old father bending with outstretched arms over his son. This is homecoming, the darkness of human existence, weary and sinful, taking refuge in the illuminating shelter of God's mercy. We are like that, we are walking step by step toward God and He awaits us with open arms to embrace us as we step into the light. 

Lionel

Ref 1: Henri J.M. Nouwen The Return of the Prodigal Son, Image Doubleday 1992