And so the father gave the elder brother a reality check, informing or reminding
him that all the father has belongs to him, and especially as he had stayed home
and was always with the father, enjoying his wealth and the abundance of his
household, his love, his warmth, protection and favour.
‘“‘My son,’ the father said, ‘you are always with me, and everything I have is yours. But
we had to celebrate and be glad, because this brother of yours was dead and is alive again;
he was lost and is found’”’ (Luke 15:31-32).
This, dear Children of God, is what God desires for all of us; that we remain home
with Him, delighting in His presence, eating the ‘richest of fare’, enjoying His
eternal, unconditional and unchanging love. Being loved and dotted on. For ‘ The
LORD your God is with you, he is mighty to save. He will take great delight in you, he
will quiet you with his love, he will rejoice over you with singing’ (Zephania 3:17).
The elder brother had enjoyed this goodness, but the younger son had abandoned
it. Now that the lost son was back home, the father wanted the elder son to feel his
heart and take pity on his younger brother, and shower him with love and
acceptance just like his father did. This is how a family should be like. This is how
God’s children should receive and rejoice over one sinner who repents. Just like
our Father God rejoices when one sinner repents and returns home.