Reflection from the Stewardship Team
Living Water Nurtures Us and Future Generations
In his book, The Prodigal God, Timothy Keller uses the story of The Prodigal Son, found in Luke 15, to describe the heart of the gospel. The story is about a son who leaves his family with half his father’s wealth only to return years later having squandered all of it. His father welcomes him back without hesitation, with no demand of re-payment, and immediately invites him to reclaim his position within the family. This angers his other son who cannot understand why his father does not hold his brother accountable for his reckless, egregious offenses.
There is often an assumption that the word prodigal means “wayward”. Prodigal means “spending money or resources freely and recklessly” or “giving something on a lavish scale.” Keller goes on to describe the father’s love for his son as a reflection of the heavenly father’s prodigal love for us. Prodigal love and reckless grace are offered to everyone, free of cost.
The study guide to Keller’s book asks us to share stories of your experiences God’s prodigal love and reckless grace with each other and with our children.