November 2 Daily Devotional

Bible Reading:

Luke 15:11-24

¹¹And he said, A certain man had two sons:
¹²And the younger of them said to his father, Father, give me the portion of goods that falleth to me. And he divided unto them his living.
¹³And not many days after the younger son gathered all together, and took his journey into a far country, and there wasted his substance with riotous living.
¹⁴And when he had spent all, there arose a mighty famine in that land; and he began to be in want.
¹⁵And he went and joined himself to a citizen of that country; and he sent him into his fields to feed swine.
¹⁶And he would fain have filled his belly with the husks that the swine did eat: and no man gave unto him.
¹⁷And when he came to himself, he said, How many hired servants of my father's have bread enough and to spare, and I perish with hunger!
¹⁸I will arise and go to my father, and will say unto him, Father, I have sinned against heaven, and before thee,
¹⁹And am no more worthy to be called thy son: make me as one of thy hired servants.
²⁰And he arose, and came to his father. But when he was yet a great way off, his father saw him, and had compassion, and ran, and fell on his neck, and kissed him.
²¹And the son said unto him, Father, I have sinned against heaven, and in thy sight, and am no more worthy to be called thy son.
²²But the father said to his servants, Bring forth the best robe, and put it on him; and put a ring on his hand, and shoes on his feet:
²³And bring hither the fatted calf, and kill it; and let us eat, and be merry:
²⁴For this my son was dead, and is alive again; he was lost, and is found. And they began to be merry.

Devotional:

If it is difficult to see a young son leave, it is equally difficult sometimes to cope with his return. He will have changed. He will have grown taller and more independent. It will be difficult to reestablish a father-son relationship. He may look different and may have acquired new habits of which we disapprove. This is a tense moment, though we have prayed for it! How we need additional prayers to deal with it!

What did this father do? He went to meet his son. He sympathized with his experiences. He physically welcomed him, embracing and kissing him! He accepted the confession without a sermon. He fed and clothed him. He shared his joy openly with family and friends.

Note: he went to meet him before the son confessed his sin. He refrained from condemnation or lecture on this glad day. He did not try to obtain a financial accounting. He did not require the son to have a shower or a haircut before he would touch him. He did not hide his joy under a proud reserve or a wounded spirit. There is an openness that is touchingly portrayed in this brief story.

Lord, be with us as parents. Teach us how to let our child depart when he must. Teach us to wait prayerfully through the hours or the years. Teach us how to welcome him back!

If we fail at this point, it is possible he will go away again never to return.