This study of the Father with two sons is for anyone who is estranged from a beloved child.
The Father With Two Sons
Luke 15:11-32
Many Christians are familiar with the story in Luke 15 of the father with two sons, whose younger son
desired his inheritance, and left home to go to a far country where he
squandered all his money on worldly things (riotous living V13). When famine came he was in great want but he
came to the end of himself, recognized his sin, repented and returned home.
Let us consider the father. (V11 "A certain man had two sons:" Certainly he must have been a man of much
wealth and substance, for he had servants and riches...yet he possessed that
most precious quality, unconditional love for his children. When the youngest
son demanded his inheritance V12 "Father, give me the portion of goods
that falleth to me" the father did
not argue or deny but willingly divided his living and gave to both sons. Perhaps the father knew that this might lead
to disaster, but he used great wisdom.
There comes a time when we must let our children go, and trust the Lord
to care for them, perhaps chasten them, and bring them back to us again, not necessarily
to live with us, but to be in harmony as a family. The father trusted the Lord to bring his son
home again. Scripture bears no record
that the father went after his son at all, but let him go.
