(Prodigal Son James Jaques Tissot 1836-1902)Thoughts: The Son was rebelling against the father in asking his father for the inheritance early. It was as if he was treating his father as if he were already dead- or wishing he was. He was forsaking his father's ways, his father's house, his father's morals, his father's god, and his love for his own father who gave him birth. It is the epitome of the "I want it now" mentality, that is so familiar to America. Perhaps we wouldn't be in the housing crisis or the credit crisis we are in if we did not have this "I want it all and I want it now" thinking. We may learn patience from this, and we may learn loyalty to parents and God here.
Prayer: Lord, you are my whole inheritance. May I find rest in what you have provided. May I have patience for my inheritance which is found in you.
John Calvin abridged: It is a mark of wicked arrogance in the youth who in desiring to leave his father and thinking he could not be right unless he indulged in his own debauchery- free from his father's control. There is ingratitude in leaving the old man, in witholding the duties owed him, and crippling and diminishing the wealth of his house. He follows this with wasteful luxury and wicked extravagance by which he squanders all he had. After so many wrongs, the father should have been cold toward him. Our Lord uses this to tell us that no crimes- however wicked can deter us from the hope of obtaining pardon.
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