More... Aren't We All Prodigals

 And he said to him, ‘Son, you are always with me, 

and all that is mine is yours.  Luke 15:31

I find myself thinking about this conversation I've started.  More...  Specifically more of God, my Inheritance.  As I was thinking about this I began to think about inheritance in general.  Did Jesus have anything to say about inheritances?  And even as I asked the question my mind was open to the story Jesus told about two sons.

The story has become known as "The Parable of the Prodigal Son."  The story involves two sons.  And at issue is an inheritance.  With only that information the story already sounds scintillating!  As Jesus tells the story it gets more and more and more incredulous, unthinkable even!!!  But Jesus is making a point.  And while I've heard the story told numerous times and heard nearly as many sermons preached on it, I think there's a couple small, but key details I may have missed.  But I get ahead of myself.  Let's let the story play out.

As Jesus tells the story it is the brazen younger son who boldly asks his father for the inheritance.  To Jesus' audience the mere thought of this sort of a request would have been a shock.  To ask for an inheritance before the death of the bequeather was the same as saying "I want you dead!"  Yet the father divides the inheritance and the younger son soon moves away, perhaps to the big city, and wastes his entire inheritance.  When the funds dry up so do the so-called friends he's accumulated and soon the son is left destitute and alone.  When he recognizes the predicament in which he finds himself he chooses to return to his father.

Up front Jesus doesn't tell us a whole lot about the father, except that he has two sons.  We don't know what type of father he is other than he is a man of means; there is an inheritance that can be given.  Later, when the son returns, we discover that the father dismisses all decorum to greet his returning lost son, then lavishes him with an abundance of dignity rebuilding, family-position restoring elements.  He's been waiting all these many days for reconciliation.  Incredible!    

Honestly, though, as I thought of the inheritance I realized that perhaps the most incredible thing about this story and one detail I've missed, is that that father divides the inheritance without question.  Jesus states it rather matter-of-factly "A man had two sons. The younger of them said to his father, ‘Father, give me the share of the estate that falls to me.’ So he divided his wealth between them."  (Luke 15 11b-12 NASB)  He does not seem to be offended or angry.  He gives them what they want.  No resistance whatsoever.  

Though Jesus places much attention on the younger, "lost" son, the story eventually reveals that each son values the physical property over their relationship with the father.  We've already seen it with the younger son, but it's there with the older son too.  He complains that he hasn't even gotten a young goat to share in celebration with his friends.  And he's angry. He's only seeing value in what the father can give him...just like his younger brother.

This brings me to the second detail I've overlooked in the past.  It's found in the father's response to his older, more "settled" son. "Son, you are always with me, and all that is mine is yours."  (Luke 15:31)  The blaring truth is that the real treasure is in the relationship.  You are always with me.  The boys missed it.  I've missed it!  The very best we can receive in life is rooted in relationship.  There's no getting around it.  The real inheritance IS THE FATHER!!!!!

Now let's put this in the context of more...more of God.  How does this fit that paradigm?  

For those who know me well, you know that I love to look at word meanings to gain more thorough understanding of whatever I happen to be reading.  The word "prodigal" that we've attributed to the story actually means "extravagant and reckless" not "wayward" as we have come to understand the meaning based on the story.  In this story there really are three individuals who have been extravagant and reckless; two of them negatively and one positively.  The younger son, who has forever earned him the title "prodigal" was extravagant and reckless in the lifestyle he chose which squandered his inheritance.  Obvious, right?  The older son's prodigal-ness is a little less obvious.  He is not extravagant but rather reckless in his judgment of the situation and his father.  He views his father as stingy when, in fact, the father is overwhelmingly generous.  The father really demonstrates the most prodigal behavior of all, however.  He generously gives with no thought for himself.  He pours out his love without condition, even when it's not received that way at all.  He waits day after day to reconcile with his brash younger son even though he has no guarantees that his love will be reciprocated.  He is fully extravagant and reckless!

Here's the best news of all!  This is YOUR Father and mine!!!  He is generous and extravagantly loving!  He is more than I could possibly hope for and He's waiting for the complete restoration of my soul to Him!  I already have all of God...I just need to recognize it.  Let's continue to explore the how of that in posts to come.  

I would like to leave you with the chorus lyrics to the song by Bethel Music called "Reckless Love."  I find myself meditating on these words day and night in these days.

Oh, the overwhelming, never-ending, reckless love of God
Oh, it chases me down, fights 'til I'm found, leaves the ninety-nine.
I couldn't earn it
I don't deserve it
Still You give yourself away
Oh, the overwhelming, never-ending, reckless love of God