Pictures of Grace through parable

God is calling to each one of us, "Come back to me, with your whole heart."

The parable of the prodigal son is an expression of the complex structure of family relationships, grace and forgiveness and ultimately God's perspective on our place with him.

Grace, light, warmth, comfort, and healing are represented in the role of the Father in this parable. The character of the father is a sketch of God's grace filled attitude towards humanity. Just as the father in this parable longs for his lost son to return home and his eldest son to return to a relationship based on grace and not judgment. God desires us to come back to him.

It could be said that the father in this parable represents grace, the prodigal son imperfect humanity, and the eldest son judgment. All three of these characters are ones that each one of us can play out in out own lives.

We can be givers of grace and breathe life into the world around us.
We can be imperfect like the prodigal son: self seeking in nature but willing to see his faults in the end.
We can be harsh and unforgiving like the eldest son; causing divisions and judgment to rule over the relationships in our lives.
The role we take can vary over the circumstances of our lives.

No matter what role we can relate to the most, God calls to each one of us to, "Come back to me, with your whole heart." God knows that we are all lost without him - through his grace we can receive the joy of our salvation (Psalm 51). Just as the young son came home to receive the forgiveness and restoration, our God is standing waiting for us to return home in one way or another.

The gift of grace provides light, warmth, comfort and healing. Continue to allow this gift to grow in you today by coming home to God with your whole heart.

TLE 3/1/07 (Artwork from www.socialtheology.com/art.asp)