Every one of us has had moments when we looked around and wondered, “How did I get here?” We find ourselves far from the Father — in places we never meant to go. In Luke 15, Jesus tells one of the most well-known stories in Scripture — the parable of the prodigal son — but as Pastor Abraham Olorunlowo reminds us, this is more than a story about a runaway son. It’s about a running God.
The prodigal son thought freedom meant leaving his father’s house and doing life on his own terms. He asked for his inheritance, packed his bags, and “took his journey into a far country, and there wasted his substance with riotous living” (Luke 15:13). But when the money ran out, the friends disappeared, and the famine came, he found himself empty, alone, and broken. Then, the Bible says, “When he came to himself…” (Luke 15:17). That phrase marks the turning point. Somewhere between the mud and the misery, the son remembered who he was — and more importantly, whose he was.
This parable is a picture of us running from God, chasing what we think will satisfy, and ending up in bondage instead of freedom. But the story doesn’t end there. The prodigal son decided, “I will arise and go to my father” (Luke 15:18). That one decision changed everything. This parable shows us five steps we must take when it’s time to “arise and go back home.”
1. His Realization
Before the son could get up, he had to wake up. He realized where his choices had taken him — from a place of privilege to a pigpen. Sin often looks like freedom but ends in bondage. The young man remembered not only who he was, but whose he was: a son of a loving father.
As believers, we too must remember our identity. We belong to God, not the world, not our past, not our mistakes. As 1 Peter 2:9 says, “Ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people.” When we forget who we are, we start living beneath our calling. But when we “come to ourselves,” we realize it’s never too late to turn back.
2. His Repentance
Realization led to repentance. The prodigal son said, “Father, I have sinned against heaven, and before thee” (Luke 15:18). That’s not self-pity — that’s repentance. Repentance isn’t about informing God; it’s about transforming us. It’s not simply saying “I’m sorry,” but saying, “I’m done.”
True repentance changes direction. The prodigal didn’t rationalize his sin or try to excuse it. He rehearsed his confession before he even reached home because repentance comes with readiness. When we sin, Satan tries to use shame to keep us away from God. But God invites us to come — not with excuses, but with honesty. The road home always begins with the words, “I have sinned.”
3. His Return
Once he repented, the son took action. “He arose, and came to his father” (Luke 15:20). But before he ever reached the gate, the father saw him from a distance — because the father had been watching all along. Scripture says, “When he was yet a great way off, his father saw him, and had compassion, and ran” (Luke 15:20).
What a picture of our heavenly Father! God doesn’t just wait for us — He runs to meet us. Mercy moves faster than our mistakes. When we take one step toward God, He takes a thousand toward us. Aren’t we glad that God still runs to us when we run to Him?
4. His Restoration
When the son came home, the father didn’t put him on probation. He put a robe on his shoulders, a ring on his hand, and shoes on his feet — symbols of full restoration. The father said, “Bring forth the best robe, and put it on him”(Luke 15:22). Grace doesn’t do leftovers. God doesn’t halfway forgive; He restores completely.
The robe covered his shame. The ring restored his status. The shoes reinstated his sonship. When we confess our sins, “He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness” (1 John 1:9). When we return, God doesn’t just clean us up; He brings us back into full fellowship.
5. His Rejoicing
The story began with rebellion but ended in rejoicing. The father declared, “For this my son was dead, and is alive again; he was lost, and is found” (Luke 15:24). That’s what grace does — it finds you when you’ve gone too far, stayed too long, and done too much. We are reminded of John Newton, the slave trader turned preacher who wrote Amazing Grace. Like the prodigal, Newton was lost — but grace found him.
Conclusion
Maybe you’ve wandered far from God. Maybe you’ve drifted spiritually, away from your peace, your prayer life, or your purpose. The good news is that no matter how far you’ve gone, you can still arise and go to the Father. He’s waiting — not with anger, but with open arms.
Reflection Question:Have you come to yourself yet? If you realize you’ve been living in a “far country,” what’s stopping you from taking that first step home today?
