Prodigal Son

So I've been thinking about the story of the prodigal son lately.  I've run into one or two in my time.  For starters you better go re-read it here.

Now the most important part of the story, everyone agrees, is that the son repents of his behavior and he returns to his father.  The father, seeing his son's repentance, rushes out to gather his son up and bring him home.  This is so important, because it describes our relationship with God.  We are the son, who has run from the father trying to hide in the pleasures of this world.  When we come to our senses and repent, God comes sweeping down and scoops us up and takes us home.

It is the most wonderful story in the whole Bible.  In fact, this story is the summary statement of the whole of scripture.  However, that is not why I've been thinking about it lately.

As you get to the end of the story, the "loyal" brother finds out that dad let the prodigal boy back home. Does he celebrate that his brother came back to his senses?  Of course not, the "loyal" brother pops a gasket.  He can't accept that his brother could just be received back like that.

So who is this "loyal" brother in the story:  why, me!!  I'm the one who stayed behind serving God faithfully,  while others have gone and partied and squandered their lives away.  Now I see these prodigals trying to return to God's household.  Of course there is a key difference, I've read the story and know I need to check my pride at the door.

This finally gets me to why I've been thinking about this story.  God can receive back a repentant sinner because He knows their hearts.  I've not yet been granted that power.... and don't expect to be.  So, how do I know when to receive  a brother back?

The answer, I think lies in the story as well.  In the story, the human father sees his son coming home from a long way off.  There it is, the answer.  The father was watching for his son, watching for a return.  That is what I need to be doing:  watching.  I should be watching for the first sign of return, no matter how far away.  Then I need to run out and embrace them.  If they receive that embrace and return with me, then I receive them back.  If they insist on returning to their sin, then I must go back to watching and waiting.

So if you're the "loyal" brother like me, you have 3 jobs: watch, wait, run.  So you'll need to stay in shape for that 3rd one, it's tough but worth it.