“Father, I have sinned against heaven, and in thy sight, and am no more worthy to be called thy son:”
Luke 15:21
It is clear from his statement the son in this parable does not feel that he is any longer worth anything to the Father. Young, brash, and impatient, he had demanded his inheritance, divorced himself of any responsibility towards his family, and completely wasted everything in his possession. He was returning home empty of any physical wealth, weak from hunger, and with a spirit that was broken. The only thing he retained was a last straw of hope; hope the father would be merciful and forgive him to some degree; hope that he would allow his wayward son to just live and work on the property as a servant. To his surprise, when he came into sight, the father ran to meet him. Despite the dirt and stench from feeding the hogs, his father hugged him close and kissed him. His dad called the servants and instructed them to get his son cleaned up, to put a ring on his hand and a nice robe on his back. A huge homecoming party was given for his return. Obviously, in the father’s eyes, the son was still of great value. He valued the son not for what he possessed, but for who he was. He was the father’s son, he was family. He had been lost to the father but was now found, had been as good as dead but was now alive.
As sinners coming to the Lord for the first time, or as backsliders returning to God after possibly a series of failures, it is easy to judge our worth by outward appearance, abilities, or talent. If we don’t feel we possess much, we don’t feel we are worth much. The devil loads us with guilt and says, ‘Because you are empty, you bring nothing to the table, and therefore you are worthless.” Don’t buy into the lie. God values you because you are his child (Mal. 2:10). Sin separates you from God, and renders you useless in fulfilling his will for you; however, you are still valuable to Him. He hates the sin but never stops loving the sinner, never stops looking for him/her to come to their senses and come walking up the road … shoeless, penniless, broken in spirit … but nevertheless a son/daughter come back from the dead, of great value and with renewed potential. Rejoice in knowing that when you humble yourself in repentance, you are once again safe in his arms! Then fulfill His will for you with joy!
God Bless and Have a Great Week!