Luke 15:11-32 tells us about the prodigal son. I will just quickly summarize the story — there are two sons. The younger son told his father that he wanted his share of the family money. His father gave it to him without asking any questions and the son left home. He spent all of his money and became very hungry, homeless and humiliated. He even envied what the pigs were eating because he was so hungry. He was so beaten down, tired and hungry that he decided that he would go back home and tell his father how badly he had messed up. He expected his father not to let him back into the family and planned to plead with him to be a servant... When he got back home his father ran to him and hugged him. He welcomed him home; he had never disowned him to begin with. He even got the fattened calf to celebrate — the older son was not happy that his father was showing his brother so much grace and mercy (but that is another perspective for another time).

We can look at this parable and hear it for what it is saying, or we can hear what it was intended to say: that we are the runaway and selfish son, and God is the merciful father who will welcome us with open arms.

Let me take a minute to explain to you what a modern day prodigal son looks like:

Scenario 1: You were raised in the church. You grew up in a Christian home, but somewhere along the way, you fell out of the church. Because... you tried to do it on your own — you wanted independence. Because... you were hurt by the church — you made a mistake and they judged you and pushed you away. Because... you were hurt by too many people too many times — you have been rejected and hurt deeply.

Scenario 2: You've made some bad decisions and screw-ups. Your upbringing (Christian family or not) is completely irrelevant here. You are addicted to drugs. To sex. To alcohol. To pornography. Gambling. Lying. You committed a felony. A misdemeanor. Whatever the case may be, you feel like God could never love you because you are the living definition of a screw-up. You expect God to condemn you and shun you.

Scenario 3: You didn't grow up in the church. You were raised in a broken family, or you were involved in a broken relationship. You were abused. You were neglected. You watched your mother drink her pain away and daddy walked out. You have suffered and now you see yourself as useless and worthless. You believe that you are not worthy of love or acceptance. You constantly beat yourself up and you feel like you cannot catch a break. You believe that God doesn't want you. That he can't use you. And that you are too broken to be loved. Or healed.

Your story may be any variation of these scenarios or they may be completely different. Mine happens to fall in like with the third one — details are different, but I was still telling myself all of the same lies. I am worthless. I am useless. I can't be loved. Something is wrong with me. Why am I so broken? God could never ever want me. I am a mess and I am beyond restoration. We are all the prodigal son at some point in our lives, and sometimes we are the prodigal son more than once. But the Father is calling us home.

I came to the Lord in a very broken place. I was too tired to fight and too tired to even talk. All I did was collapse onto the floor and the Heavenly Father came down beside me. He put his hand on my shoulder and welcomed me home. He wiped those tears away and said, "My child, I love you." I didn't hear these words out loud, but I felt them in my heart and in the depths of my soul.

But that wasn't all, it took me a very long time to get to the place I am now, and some counseling to work through these issues. And I still have to remind myself that these lies are not true. I still have to bathe my heart in truth from time to time. And there are days that I still struggle and I fall into those dark places and need someone to lay their hand on me and pray. To lift me out. It wasn't and still isn't easy. But I have stopped running away. I came home and let my Daddy in Heaven celebrate my return. His mercy and grace run deeper than I will ever know.

You see, we all come from some place. We all have a story with some pages and even chapters that are battered and muddy. We are all the prodigal son. But no matter where we have been, where we are, or where we will go, God is willing to come beside you and say, "My child, I love you."

And my dear friend, it is time to stop running. Lay down your pride and come home. Come and collapse into your Father's loving arms. Because he wants to celebrate your return with a big feast and a big party. Stop running. You are so tired, and it will feel nice to rest those feet. Sit. Cry. Whatever you need to do. Just come home and let the Father run to greet you. Tell him your hurts and the hurts you have done. Repent and turn your direction towards his face. Let his grace and mercy encompass and surround your very being, your heart.

My child, I love you. Please, come home.