The parable of the prodigal son in Luke chapter 15 is one of the most heart-stirring stories in the Bible. It’s about a young man who thought he could find happiness far away from home. The Bible doesn’t give an explanation as to why he had become unhappy at home, but he had. So, one day, he asked for his share of the family inheritance and left. At first, he had plenty of friends and lots of fun, but after living a sinful life, he ran out of money and friends. He went from prosperity to a pig pen in a hurry. With not even enough money to buy food, he had to settle for taking care of pigs. For a young Jewish boy, that was about as bad as it could get. The happiness he thought he would find away from his father’s house was just a mirage.

If we could go back a few years, I think this boy was initially happy in his father’s house. His father seemed to be well-off financially, and from his later actions, it’s easy to imagine that he was a loving father who provided everything his family needed. In the filth of the pig pen, with no one giving him anything, this boy was now relegated to eating the same food as the pigs. One day, in his misery, he remembered what it was like at home, and he began to compare what he now had with what he had lost. This unhappy son decided to return home and ask his father for forgiveness.

The harsh realities of life had humbled him to the point that he was willing to return home and become just a hired servant. But to his great surprise, his father was waiting for him and ran to meet him. His father hugged him, kissed him, and threw a party for him, saying, “Let’s have a feast and celebrate, my son is home.” Jesus said twice in this chapter that there is rejoicing in heaven when a sinner repents. Let’s celebrate when the prodigals among us come home!