And asked his dad for his inheritance so that he could freely roam.
But also gave the older boy his share on that same day.
The younger son immediately left for a far off distant land,
And no doubt thought his life was great as his wealth slipped through his hand.
And then one day when his money was gone and his friends had vanished too,
And he was ready to eat pig’s food, he decided what he would do.
He was hungry, tired and friendless when he thought about his home and his dad,
He realized that compared to his present life even his dad’s servants didn’t have it so bad.
He would return home and work as a servant—he wasn’t worthy to be a son.
Why had he left in the first place? The wild life was really no fun.
But the younger son had failed to consider the depth of a father’s love.
When his dad saw the boy returning he gave praise to God up above.
He told his servants to prepare to celebrate as he ran to meet the lad.
To the father this was still his beloved son, it didn’t matter that the boy had been bad.
You see the son couldn’t leave his father’s heart although he had left his home.
The father gladly welcomed him back and knew he’d never again roam.
The pain and worry of the days and months since his son had gone a way,
Were now replaced with joy and mirth because his son returned that day.
The elder son wouldn’t join in the fun-- his heart was filled with anger and hate.
He didn’t rejoice with his father that day, with him his brother just didn’t rate.
The older boy missed out on a very great joy by his stubborn, selfish will.
But the father still loved his eldest son and begged him to come in from the field.
Let all of us search our lives and our hearts to see how we each compare.
Is our heart like that of the father or are we like that other pair?
Are we selfish and stubborn, unruly and wild—always wanting our very own way?
If so, let us return to our Heavenly Father and beg his forgiveness today.
©Bob Hefner
Revised 11-05-01
E-mail
Used With Permission
Thank You For Sharing Your Poems
Evening, and morning, and at noon, will I pray,
and cry aloud: and he shall hear my voice.
Psalms 55:17
