Luke 15: 20-24
The rebellious attitude shown by the younger son in this parable also shows us the story of many of us who squandered our inheritance before our time.
In the western world the inheritance was given to the eldest son when the father died, the inheritance was never given while the father lived, much less the younger son.
This parable is a great example of the father's love for his younger son and shows us the negative attitude of his older son against his brother.
The father of the prodigal son represents: God the father.
The older brother represents: To the church that does not show mercy
The prodigal son represents: The Christian who does not value the father.
Let's look at how this father's forgiveness is a sample of restoration in
this son.
1. He asked for the best dress to be brought to him; not the excess, or the one he deserved, but the best dress, his action did not make him worthy of the best dress but God's grace makes us worthy of that.
The father covered the filth of his son with his best clothes, he was not going to allow him to be humiliated before the servants of his house.
2. They put a ring on his hand. The ring represents restored authority. In ancient times only those who were endowed with authority could wear the ring that was the seal of the family.
3. They put sandals on him. This speaks of his position as a restored son, being barefoot in those days was a sign of slavery. The phrase "this my son was dead, but he has revived" expresses the intensity with which the father enjoyed that moment.
Prisoners of hope
When you embrace the message of the cross, you rest in the power of grace and hold
to the process and the discipline of the lord, he stops being a prisoner of his failures and falls and becomes a prisoner of hope.
Due to the pact I made with you, sealed with blood, I will free your prisoners from dying in a gourd without water. Return to the refuge, you prisoners, who still have hope! Today I promise that I will give you two blessings for each difficulty.
- Zechariah 9: 11-12, NLT
Return to the fortress, O prisoners of hope; today I also announce that I will restore you twice as much.
-Zacarias 9:12
"The people who have learned to survive and preserve in the face of the storms of adversity are those who can dance in the rain during the storm."
-Ellen J. Barrier
While the fall produces public shame, pain and fear, the restoration produces hope.
The confection of such a fact is very difficult but it is more difficult to drop it. Proverbs 28: 13-14
The process of forgiveness is not an option, it is a decision since forgiving is releasing, freeing
someone; when I decide to forgive, I decide to release my offender.
Many marriages have succumbed after a confession of infidelity comes to light for not deciding to use mercy to regain their marriage and decide to forgive.
Repentance is a sign that a new time is imminent. Thus began the message of John introducing the expected Messiah.
And saying: Repent, because the kingdom of heaven has drawn near.
Matthew 3: 2
Repentance: feeling, regret of the person who regrets having done or
stopped doing one thing.
Repentance is the door through which a process of restoration is entered. True repentance requires emptying ourselves of self-reliance, to the point of recognizing that we need help from God.