Sharing in Joy of the Prodigal...

Last week in church I was privileged to witness a special joy that needed no translation. Normally I sit in church up front in a wooden chair by the pastors and guests bench.
Not that I like to sit in the front row-but as a ferenji, that is their custom. Also, they know about my back problems so they provide a chair with a back on it. Everyone else sits on crude wooden benches. One advantage though to sitting up front- I am just barely out of the direct path of their new mega watt jumbotron speakers turned up full blast. (A few rows back and I would have had to put in my earplugs!)

Since I don’t know any of the words they are singing, I just make up my own and clap and try to sway in rhythm with them (it ain’t easy being a white girl with no rhythm!) But while we were all singing, suddenly a woman came up to the front, smiling ear to ear. She was singing and pointing up to heaven and then over at someone. She was dancing (not unusual over here) and the joy on her face was unmistakable. She was then joined by her husband and two sons. Now EVERYONE was up on their feet singing and dancing, like I said, JOY. My friend leaned over and whispered to me “This son was lost for a year-now he comes back”
Now he comes back. My mind immediately went back over the years to when I had my own prodigal son. Nothing wounds a mothers heart more than rejection by her child. During my own sons’ ‘wandering in a far away land’ I experienced such depths of anguish over him. We all did. It affects the whole family. Christmas with the empty place around the table. His birthday when we didn’t know where he was-or even if he was alive. Then the darkest day of all- the phone call saying he was in jail.

But like so many times in our lives- what we think are terrible things happening, oftentimes God will make something good come out of it. I am reminded of the story of Joseph from the Bible. He was sold into slavery by his jealous brothers for 20 pieces of silver. Years later, after he has risen to power in Egypt because of his God-given ability to explain dreams- he was able to feed his brothers and save them from starvation. The brothers were expecting death from Joseph for their misdeeds to him years earlier-but Joseph forgave them. And in one of the most astounding verses from the Bible-Genesis 50:20 “You intended to harm me, but God intended it all for good. He brought me to this position so I could save the lives of many people.”

Now, here my son was in jail. No doubt about it- that was bad. But guess what? Here is the good that God made it into. While in jail he started attending a prisoner-led Bible study, and the Father’s kindness and grace brought him back to repentance.
In his prison cell, he gave control of his life back to Jesus!! And he was a changed man after that. He went on to graduate from Seminary, became a youth pastor, got married to a beautiful redhead, gave me one beautiful red haired grandson and a baby grandaughter on the way-and they are moving to Colorado next year to start up a church in Lakewood Colorado. Hows THAT for a ‘prodigal story’? God’s amazing grace.....
And now, I was witnessing another mothers broken heart being healed. The father spoke about his son’s ‘wandering’ while the little brother cried next to him..........
I have no idea of the details, but my heart was cheering- another prodigal was found! “Bring him a new robe (or in this case, a brand new Ethiopia tshirt) put a ring on his finger and kill the fatted calf for a feast. For my son who was lost has now been found”. (Luke 15:22......)
Hallelujah!