And he arose and came to his father. But when he was still a great way off, his father saw him and had compassion, and ran and fell on his neck and kissed him. --Luke 15:20
In the story of the prodigal son, we find a dissolute young man who comes to his senses and returns home. He isn't expecting any favors. He knows he doesn't deserve any. He's spent his half of his father's inheritance, and he comes back hoping to be taken on as a servant. At least then he'll be fed.
The wonder of his father's forgiveness opens a window into the heart of God for penitent sinners. But there are at least two other truths I can see here. One, that the entire property was now the inheritance of the other brother. The prodigal would not receive any more--in other words, actions have consequences, though the guilt of sin may be forgiven.
Second, the father did not travel to the far country and drag his rebellious son home. He waited.
When we think of family members and others dear to our hearts who have gone to that far country, we may be tempted to run after them. Certainly in some cases there is a mandate for an "intervention," especially in the case of a child or other person living in the home.
I can imagine this father of Luke 15 pleading with his grown son not to leave. Undoubtedly, he had received good instruction in his formative years. But when all entreaty failed, the father let him go. By demanding his inheritance, the son was cutting all ties. There was nothing more to be said.
What must this father have felt? I can imagine his heart yearning after his son, as David's did over Absalom. He must have visited a spot on the road time after time, peering down its length, hoping against hope that one day his son would return. He had no guarantees. I wonder if he stood there, in the hot sun or in a chill wind, composing a message to send, or planning a possible trip--how could he convince his son of his foolishness? In the end, he simply watched and waited. And prayed.
Abraham prayed too. In his case, he had a nephew who was making poor choices. Lot was a believer in Jehovah God--according to Peter, writing in the New Testament, a "righteous" man (2 Pet 2:7). But this righteous man had stumbled--or at the very least, acted shortsightedly.
You see, when the flocks and herds of these men increased, Abraham and Lot needed to part ways. They simply needed more space. Lot chose to go into the (then) well-watered plains of the Jordan River. Abraham stayed in the higher country.
The land of Palestine was already inhabited by various groups. Sodom and Gomorrah were the main cities near the Jordan, and they had a reputation in the worst possible sense. Undoubtedly Lot understood all this. In any case, he was a herder, not a city dweller. What would it matter that he lived nearby?
Later we learn that he actually moved into Sodom. He saw the depravity that went on there and Peter records that his soul was "vexed" by it (2 Pet 2:7). It wasn't as though he approved. But it was a bad decision.
Abraham must have seen all this as it happened. I wonder what he was thinking. I wonder if he said anything to Lot. Maybe he did--maybe he sent a message to Lot telling him that living in Sodom was a bad idea. I can imagine his wife laughing. "Your stuffy uncle! Why is he so judgmental?" We know from her later behavior that her heart was affected.
Finally, when the Lord came to Abraham, telling him that these cities were slated for destruction (Gen 18:17-33), the patriarch pleads with God. "Suppose there were fifty righteous within the city; would You also destroy the place and not spare it for the fifty righteous that were in it?" (Gen 18:24)
Carefully and movingly he frames his argument. Abraham keeps subtracting the number of necessary men needed for God to spare the city. He stops at ten--the Lord promised that if there were ten righteous in the city, He would spare it for their sake.
In Gen 19:29 we read that "God remembered Abraham." He did destroy the city, but not before he had extracted Lot. He knew the intent of Abraham's prayer and answered accordingly. However, Lot lost everything but his life.
He lost his wife (Gen 19:26). He dwelt in a cave with his two daughters, who thought that the entire world was destroyed. They made their father drunk, lay with him, and bore children. Lot himself drops from the pages of history, known only in the misbegotten and ill-favored tribes descended from his daughters, Moab and Ammon.
Righteous Lot has a place around the Throne with Abraham and all the children of faith. But sin has consequences. I am sure Abraham never shut his door to his nephew, but he never ran after him either. He did, however, run after him in prayer.
Many of us see loved ones hurting themselves, and we don't know the end of the story. As we stand in the gap, watching and waiting, let us not be overcome by anxiety, but in faith let our requests be made known to God, "and the peace of God which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus." Phil 4:7
