The parable of the prodigal son is one of the most familiar stories in the Bible. The son who leaves, squanders, and returns. The son who stays and stews. One part of the story that sticks with me, though, is passed over quickly in Luke’s narrative. The time lapse.
How long was the younger son gone? How long did the father wait for news of his son—any news? We don’t know. All Luke tells us is “while he [the son] was a long way off, his father saw him and was filled with compassion for him” (Luke 15:21).
“His father saw him” tells me that the man watched for his son’s return every day. Expectantly. As the LifeChange study series notes, “The head of a family normally lived in the center of the village. … Therefore, such a father could have seen his son a long way off only if he were intentionally watching for the young man from the roof of his house or from the village gate.”
He habitually acted as if his son’s return could happen that very day.
I don’t know how long you’ve been waiting for your son or daughter to return—to you, to God, to family. But like the father in Jesus’ parable, we can wait expectantly. How do we do that?
Consider Karin’s story. For years, she prayed for her son’s return, clinging to the promise of Hebrews 11:1: “Faith is the confidence that what we hope for will actually happen; it gives us assurance about things we cannot see” (NLT). She admits, though, that even as she prayed, she still tried to come up with all the answers and fix everything. But God was patient. He kept showing her that he didn’t need her help. He needed her to trust him.
One day, after years of silence, her son Jon called. Like the son in the parable, he was sincere and genuine and humble. He had no ulterior motives and wasn’t expecting anything from her or her husband. During that conversation, he said, “Mom, you can call me what you want. I’m over the pronouns.”
Jon now depends on and is accountable to God. He speaks respectfully to his parents. He values their opinions and suggestions when he asks. He listens and says thank you. He’s grateful for what God has given him and doesn’t complain about what he doesn’t have. He embraces being the male God created him to be and says, “I just wanna be me.” He’s grateful to be part of his family again, and his parents are thrilled to be part of his life.
You may be thinking, Oh how I long for my child to come home too. God knows that ache, feels that pain. But as you wait for the homecoming, follow the example set by the father in the parable and by Karin.
Remain faithful as you watch. Pray daily that God will prepare your heart and your loved one’s for the return. Their journey may lead them through some pig styes. Your journey may require long vigils. Pray as you wait. Expectantly. Cling to Karin’s testimony: “No matter how long it takes, it is well worth the walk and the wait.” Claim God’s promise that what you hope for “will actually happen.”