10/03/2022 - PLEASANT SURPRISE

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“And he arose and came to his father. But when he was still a great way off, his father saw him and had compassion, and ran and fell on his neck and kissed him. Luke 15:20

If the prodigal son had not been under the conviction of the Holy Spirit, he would not have decided to look for his father. Being convinced by God of something is already a good omen, but it should not be used as proof that we are well spiritually, but rather as an act of divine mercy. Had the Lord not convinced him, the young man would have remained in error. Every good work comes from the heart of the eternal Father, and to Him should be given the praise and glory.

The voice of the Lord convinced that son of his wrong behavior, putting into his heart all that he should say when he came to his father. When the Holy Spirit tells you something, do as the woman with the issue of blood did, who kept saying that if she only touched Jesus she would be healed. She did this along the way and when she could, she reached out and touched the Master (Mark 5:25-34). In the case of the parable told by Christ, by following God’s instruction, the young man was accepted back as a member of the family, previously abandoned by him.

Probably, the father was in doubt that he had been a good parent, who teaches his own to be good people, away from all temptation. By the son’s attitude, we then realize that his father gave him good teaching because the young man repented and decided to return. All sin is first committed against Heaven, the Kingdom of God. When we do this, we are removed from the holy presence of the Father and we become servants of the devil (Isaiah 59:1,2; John 8:44).

Almost always the behavior of the natural son, or the sheep that strays from the flock, shows some of our failure. Parents, pastors or bosses have to put in the people under their orders – biblical guidance about fearing God. When family or church members are taught in the sound doctrine of the Word, change for the better is soon seen. On the other hand, if some fall into sin, many suffer.

When the father saw his son, he ran to him, threw himself on his neck and kissed him. The boy must have felt loved and realized that such was a sign that he would be forgiven. Maybe the devil told him that he didn’t need to reveal his sin, because everything was already settled. However, since the son suffered for having acted outside the Scriptures, he wanted to tell his decision. Likewise, we should proceed about everything we talk to the Lord.

If the young man didn’t fear God, perhaps at that time he would have used falsehood, cried and shown his gratitude for the love shown by his father. He would have declared his joy at being received that way and said that he would strive not to disappoint him again. However, because he was sincere, his father ordered that he be given new clothes, that the ring, symbol of family authority, be put on his finger, and that he be given new sandals.

The prodigal son confessed everything that, under the conviction of God’s Spirit, he had planned. This became the important part of the story and caused the doors to be opened to him. The Most High is our help at all times, provided we obey His commandments. The forgiven person needs to remain steadfast and try to live up to the benefit received.

In Christ, with love,

R. R. Soares