Christian Union National Fast: America Returning to God, August 1-14, 2024
by peter ahlin, coo/CFO at christian union
“But when he came to himself, he said, “How many of my father's hired servants have more than enough bread, but I perish here with hunger! I will arise and go to my father, and I will say to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son. Treat me as one of your hired servants.”’ And he arose and came to his father. But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and felt compassion, and ran and embraced him and kissed him.” -Luke 15:17-20
Jesus loved to tell stories of heaven’s rejoicing at the salvation of lost souls. He depicted a widow exulting over a found coin or a shepherd delighting as he held a recovered sheep; He spoke in terms that resonated with all. But no story ever became as iconic as that of a loving father whose son rejected him, plundered him, and left him, and how that father watched for him, waited for him, and wept for him. The story captured perfectly how great the father’s love and how hopeful those may be who trust wholly in it.
Many of us also watch, wait, and weep for beloved children or others who wander without hope and without God in the world. We want to follow Scripture’s clarion call to “pour out [our] hearts like water to the Lord, [to] lift up [our] hands to him in prayer, pleading for [our] children” (Lamentations 2:19). So how do we pray for the prodigal?
The lost son or daughter must come to his or her senses.
Jesus recounted the painful tale of how a cherished son had squandered everything, lost everyone, and was living in squalor among unclean animals. But amidst the despair of that wretched state, the son had a revelation, “What am I doing here? Life is so much better at my father’s house! I don’t have to stay another moment! I can return to my father!” Likewise, all those prodigals for whom we pray must have a moment of stark realization, come to their senses, and determine to return to their Father.
Genuine repentance from sinful behavior demonstrates a sincere willingness to own up and make right.
When the son came to his senses, he did not seek to make excuses for his selfish, sinful actions. Rather, he fully owned up to his vertical (against God) and horizontal (against his family) wrongdoing, and resolved to confess this openly and without excuse. Worldly sorrow is sorrow for getting caught and experiencing consequences; godly sorrow is genuine contrition for doing wrong and sincere resolve to make right.
The Father stands watching and waiting with open arms.
As we cry out to God for lost prodigals to return to Him, let us remember that He longs to forgive and restore them. The father in Jesus’s story could only have seen his son a long way off because he was staring at the horizon, longing to see his cherished son’s silhouette on the horizon. And as soon as his forlorn figure appeared, the father abandoned all sense of dignity and sprinted to meet him. Our Heavenly Father’s love is as great as the heavens are high above the earth, and whoever comes to Him will never be cast out.
We should pray for lost prodigals boldly and never give up. Jesus told parables of a widow seeking justice and a neighbor seeking bread to remind his disciples that they should always pray and never give up. Indeed, heaven rejoices more over one sinner who repents than ninety-nine righteous persons who need no repentance. We ought always to pray that treasured lost sons and daughters would turn from darkness to light–from the power of Satan to God–and always pray that the veil over their hearts would be removed and their hearts would be opened to respond to the gospel.
Our Father, we thank You for loving us with an everlasting love, with a love that is as great as the heavens are high above the earth. We rejoice that You stand willing to accept and run towards any penitent sons and daughters who turn to You. We cry out to You, that lost souls would come home, that people walking in darkness would see Your great light, and that they would be adopted into Your family and set free from sin and death. Hear our prayers–let every lost one come to his or her senses and return to You, because You will never cast them out! In the name of Jesus Christ, our Savior, Amen.
