Welcoming all prodigals

Jesus told a story to the disciples, and the Pharisees who were there, about two sons. One asked his father for his inheritance and then squandered it, returning empty handed, hoping only to gain a servant’s position in his father’s house. The father was waiting every day for his son to return, and rejoiced greatly when he did.

The older son, who had remained with his father, was resentful of this. He was angry and would not even come to welcome his brother back. Jesus shows us in this Parable of the Prodigal Son how merciful God is to his children. God’s grace and mercy is perfectly sufficient for all of us.

Many of us have experienced this for ourselves, maybe as the prodigal, or knowing the prodigal brother. At the Mission, the guests we serve have been experiencing this in their lives, living out this proverb spoken by Jesus so many years ago.

Here at the Mission, we see so many broken lives, and through the love of God, we receive them—sometimes they are ready, and other times they are not. The men in our Life Recovery Program are prodigals, returning to the Father in hopes that they can just be OK. But God makes their homecoming so much more than just OK. God surrounds them with all that they had walked away from: love, mercy, grace, hope, and truth! The world they lived in steals all of these things every day and keeps them suppressed. When he breaks these chains, it is the most beautiful miracle to witness.

I am often saying in this line of work, “I never want to not be in awe of God.” We have that boots-on-the-ground calling to serve in the trenches. To seek the lost, and not be that older brother, but the one saying, “Your Father is right here and he loves you.”

Thank you for partnering with us in this most precious work of restoration, your gifts help us accomplish this. I pray the Lord will lead so many prodigals to the Mission that we will have to expand!

Bill Edwards, Mission Director

If you would like to help by volunteering or donating, you can call the Mission at 760-955-5958. We have many opportunities available for you to serve those in need.