Why do we often take the long way home? For we do, returning, only after much wandering, to the abiding realities of living. Perhaps this is one reason we are brought again and again with certain inevitability to the story of the Prodigal Son. We walk searching for fulfillment. Our personal fulfillment often takes us the way we walk. We can see in his unfolding experience the assurance of God at work in every life, making for that fulfillment for which we hunger.
Our story begins with the right claim, “I want my share.” The awakening of want is a time of great significance in all of our lives. The awareness of a new want often may be clearest evidence of God’s dealing with us. Most add whole dimensions to our lives by these moments of wakening. We may see a life of fruitful service and know that all our years we must seek to walk a similar way, like I did 61 years ago when I was credentialed to be a minister. “I want my share” may be God’s working in us, calling out the response that we might begin asking of Him to seek as He already is seeking.
This is a constant part of Biblical understanding of life. He reminder that God’s provision is prior to our asking. We want what the early Christians experienced, like joy, love, and peace. We may be certain that such gifts have not been withdrawn but wait for the day when we know our need, take up our claim, and move into the possession of which God has provided. We begin the journey to fulfillment with the plea, “I want my share.”
What makes us a Prodigal is when we say, “I want my way.” We must understand the subtlety and subterfuge by which we insist upon our way at the very time when we are claiming that our devotion is to God. We try to use God rather than serve Him, insisting on our way while calling it His Will, and seeking the far country in us when He is calling us home. One of the hardest words for us to submit to is “Nevertheless!” Not my will but Thine be done does not come easily for neither Jesus or us!
Soon the Prodigal comes to say, “I want!” The younger brother knew what emptiness was all about. There was plenty of husk, but he knew there was better at the Father’s house. Our emptiness is not when we are deprived, but when we have arrived. The poverty of those despised goods make life seem understandable and is a quite logical failure of supply and demand.
The real story is summarized by “I am wanted.” While he was yet at a distance his father saw him and had compassion and ran and embraced him. God has seen us from a distance and in compassion He has come to us. It is the words that is found when we have come the long way home. It is the kind of wholeness we see in lives centered down in God’s house. We never set out to deliberately take the long way home, but when we find ourselves away from God’s house, we should return as quickly as possible! The story of our lives will turn out to be like that of other Prodigals – home is always better than any far country! Get back home!
