Hunger And Thirst Series

APPLICATION

In this story we see a young man who wanted to live today as though he couldn’t enjoy life unless he were to live in this reckless way. He takes everything and squanders it. And because of the situation in the land, when he ran out, there was no one to help him when times were tough. He took a job that didn’t pay well—feeding pigs. It wasn’t enough money to even eat with. He was so hungry he wanted the food the pigs were eating.

When he realized his situation, he remembered what it was like before when he lived at home. As the younger son, he did not get as large a portion as the older son would get. He knows his father was still very wealthy with servants…if he goes back, he can at least get a real job and have food to eat and a place to sleep.

He longed to be satisfied. Even if it were as an animal to eat the herbs, grass, hay, and other scraps. He wanted to be fattened again. To be filled and satisfied. So he goes back to his father. He is going to tell his dad that it wasn’t his dad’s fault. This son was the sinner. Unworthy to be called a son…he wanted his dad to die to give his inheritance. Just make me a servant.

I want that old life. That righteousness that I had before. This younger son hungered and thirsts for righteousness. He wants the old state of being that he ought to be in. He wanted to be who he ought to be. But he knows that there will be justice. He squandered all his money and was reckless with it. The father surely will give justice to me. It will be painful, but in the long run it will be better than what I am experiencing now. Unlike the Beaver and Larry, this son is going to take his lumps now.

It's going to hurt.

But…what does the Father in this story do? Scream and yell at the son for doing the wrong thing? Throw him off the property? Shun him? Make him a servant to work hard and earn his food? No. He received his son as his son that he thought was dead. He received his son as though he had been lost and missing much like Traian Caldarar of Transylvania.

This father knew his son. He knew he needed his family and would return. This father ran to his son. He embraced him. Took him in as if he had never left…even better. He was gone…but now he is back! They threw a feast in his honor. He took his own robe and ring and put them on the son. This would signify that he is a full-fledged member of the family. All the father has is now the son’s again.

This is truly who he ought to be. Did the son get his due? I think he did. This is who we are in Christ. We are that lost son who should have been rejected. If we hunger and thirst for righteousness, we will be filled and satisfied…not with the animal scraps. But with more than we deserve. The grace of God brings us into a right relationship with him.

This son went to be satisfied like the pigs but was given satisfaction and dignity as an heir. His father took him as he ought to be.

Augustine once said, “There is no saint without a past, no sinner without a future.”

These Pharisees were the older brother who couldn’t fathom treating this other son with such love and acceptance. He had wasted money and his time and life. Why should we treat people like this and eat with them? Because God does that every day with all of us.