We often read the parable of the Prodigal Son and his return to his father, but we stop at the end of that and forget that “a certain man had two sons.” We like to hear how the younger son was received back, but do we ever ask, “What about the elder son? What became of him?”
The elder son came near to the house, and hearing the music and dancing, he wanted to know what it was all about. Have you ever wondered what makes your believing relatives and friends so happy? Have you asked yourself what it all means? God the Father rejoices in the return of the lost ones; they have confessed that they were once “in the far country,” but have now been brought to God and they are glad.
But the elder son “was angry, and would not go in: therefore came his father out and entreated him.” The angry elder son stood on the outside, and his father came out himself to “entreat.” God entreats you, too. His Word says, “As though God did beseech you by us: we pray you in Christ’s stead, be ye reconciled to God.” The Saviour has been right down into the very depths of death to enable a holy God to come out in righteousness as well as grace and save all “that come unto God by Him” (Hebrews 7:2525Wherefore he is able also to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by him, seeing he ever liveth to make intercession for them. (Hebrews 7:25)).
We are all either inside, rejoicing with the Father in His joy and with the returned son, or outside in company with the elder son. The door was as open to the one as to the other, and today it is still kept open by a hand of love. Why not enter?
The elder son had his reasons for anger: “Lo, these many years do I serve thee, neither transgressed I at any time thy commandment; and yet thou never gavest me a kid, that I might make merry with my friends.” Now he revealed his character in his complaints! He was proud of his length of service, self-righteous in his claim never to have transgressed, and utterly selfish in wanting a gift only that he might make merry with his friends. It was not his father’s company he desired, but his friends’.
There are many like that today that are angry, and will not come in. They are proud in standing up in their own strength before God, self-righteous in depending on their own morality apart from Him, and selfish in refusing Him the joy of blessing them according to His own heart of love.
The door of God’s mercy stands wide open; all that God has of blessing is there for all who will take it. Won’t you come in?