In Luke 15 Jesus gave three parables in response to the Pharisees’ accusation that Jesus is associating with ‘sinners’. In the last parable Jesus told of the famous Parable of the Prodigal son, wherein the younger son prematurely took his inheritance, went away to a far land  and splurged all the money he received in revelry.  However, “After he had spent everything, there was a severe famine in that whole country, and he began to be in need. 

¹⁵ So he went and hired himself out to a citizen of that country, who sent him to his fields to feed pigs. ¹⁶ He longed to fill his stomach with the pods that the pigs were eating, but no one gave him anything.”  – Luke 15:14-16

He did, however, realized that he is better of as a servant of his father and rehearsed lines to say to his father as he goes back home.  In his surprise, the father’s response to him was way beyond what he expected, he not only got reinstated, he also  received a warm welcome, a grandiose party.  The older son who was obedient with the father and was with the father all thorugh out did not receive the prodigal brother warmly. Instead :

“the older son was in the field. When he came near the house, he heard music and dancing. ²⁶ So he called one of the servants and asked him what was going on. ²⁷ ‘Your brother has come,’ he replied, ‘and your father has killed the fattened calf because he has him back safe and sound.’The older brother became angry and refused to go in. So his father went out and pleaded with him. ²⁹ But he answered his father, ‘Look! All these years I’ve been slaving for you and never disobeyed your orders. Yet you never gave me even a young goat so I could celebrate with my friends.³⁰ But when this son of yours who has squandered your property with prostitutes comes home, you kill the fattened calf for him!

My son,’ the father said, ‘you are always with me, and everything I have is yours. ³² But we had to celebrate and be glad, because this brother of yours was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.’”’” Luke 15:25-32(emphasis mine).

Then it hit me… I realized that I had been the older son as I was ‘working in the fields.’  In doing good, in ministry, in striving for excellence to work I realized that I passed on from being the prodigal son to be the older brother. The very things I have received has blinded me to realize that I am with the Father. It is refreshing to be reminded of the pigs, to be remebered that “we are all saved the same way, by the undeserved grace of the Lord Jesus” Acts 15:11NLT.

It is humbling to remember that this prodigal son “ while … still a long way off, his father saw him and was filled with compassion for him; he ran to his son, threw his arms around him and kissed him.”Luke 15:20

I also realized that you don’t have ot be a recent convert to have the heavens celebrate over you. The bible says: ‘there is rejoicing in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner who repents”   Luke 15:10.

Well then God, party away, becasue I am a sinner in need of a Savior. A son enjoying the lavished love and compassionate affection of the Father.