To the Prodigal Child’s Father

Happy early Father’s Day!

This weekend, without a doubt, the world (and all of Facebook) will take time to recognize their fathers and special men in their lives.

Some may write extra-long posts explaining how their strong, loving, Christian fathers have impacted their lives for the better. Meanwhile, others may be unsure how to celebrate the day and instead choose to thank their father-like figures who stepped up and filled the role their birth father didn’t, such as neighbors, mentors, pastors, grandfathers, uncles, or even older siblings.

As I began thinking about this holiday and what it represents, I couldn’t help but think back to the fathers mentioned in the Bible. A few include Abraham, Adam, Jacob, Job, Issac – the list could go on!

But this year, a specific father noted in Luke 15 caught my attention.

The father of the prodigal.

In this parable, Jesus tells the story of a father whose son chose worldly wealth over his family. But instead of commanding his son to stay put and refusing to give him the money he asked for, the father did as his son requested.

And He said, “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. And not many days later, the younger son gathered everything together and went on a journey into a distant country, and there he squandered his estate with loose living (Luke 15:11-13). Emphasis added.

Meanwhile, back at the family home, his father remained.

He stayed, waited, and hoped that someday his lost son would be found. He desired to joyfully wrap his arms around his boy once again.

However, while waiting, he didn’t go search for the boy. He didn’t go and enable his sinful behaviors or passions. Instead, he waited and worried for his precious son to realize his errors and come home – completely done with the ways of the world.

This Father’s Day, many fathers are in the same position as the one Jesus mentioned in Luke. Rather than planning BBQs and Sunday lunches with their children, they wait, hope, and pray for their once-little ones to return home and back to Christ.

These Christian fathers are trying to navigate how to biblically love and care for their children amid their squandering and time spent in the pigpen. And perhaps they battle daily over whether to tolerate their child’s biblical disobedience to receive the love and affection they miss and desire.

To the fathers in this situation, I hope you also find solace in verse 20.

So he got up and came to his father. But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and felt compassion for him, and ran and embraced him and kissed him.

When it was all said and done, the son realized there was no place like his father’s house.

He ran home.

And when he did, his father was there – running and ready to embrace him.

I know this is a beautiful picture of Christ and his love for the church, but this Father’s Day, it can also be a very real picture of the feelings and emotions among fathers in the same boat as the one mentioned in Luke. Hopefully, these fathers of prodigals can rest knowing they are not forgotten, nor is their distress and uncertainty concerning their child.

Christian fathers, you serve the God who makes the rocks cry out and who splits the seas. Nothing is too big for Him to accomplish. He sees and hears you even if this holiday looks different from what you imagined when you took your little ones to VBS and Sunday school.

The same God who spoke to them then can speak to them now.

Keep waiting.

But more importantly, keep praying for the moment you see your baby return to the only One who loves them more than you.

In the meantime, get your running shoes ready.

But the father said to his slaves, ‘Quickly bring out the best robe and put it on him, and put a ring on his hand and sandals on his feet; and bring the fattened calf, kill it, and let us eat and celebrate; for this son of mine was dead and has come to life again; he was lost and has been found.’ And they began to celebrate (Luke 15: 22-24).