For the past week, I have had the lyrics to one song stuck in my head.
My heart is grieved to see you here
Your eyes are open but nothing’s there
If only you knew the heart of your father
You’d see these cheap imitations and you wouldn’t even bother
You don’t know who you are
You don’t know why you’re here
You’re wrapped up in this old game
Clinging to things unreal
You play the harlot, He plays the King,
Though your sins are like scarlet, you can respond to Him
If only you knew the heart of your father
You’d see these cheap imitations, and you wouldn’t even bother
And you dazzle around faking a peace
Faking a romance, your faking it’s cheap
Your eyes appear open but emptiness shades
I humbly suggest that you’d make a change
The song is called "Ballad to the Prodigal." It alludes to the story of the prodigal son in Luke 15:11-32:
To illustrate the point further, Jesus told them this story: “A man had two sons. The younger son told his father, ‘I want my share of your estate now before you die.’ So his father agreed to divide his wealth between his sons.
“A few days later this younger son packed all his belongings and moved to a distant land, and there he wasted all his money in wild living. About the time his money ran out, a great famine swept over the land, and he began to starve. He persuaded a local farmer to hire him, and the man sent him into his fields to feed the pigs. The young man became so hungry that even the pods he was feeding the pigs looked good to him. But no one gave him anything.
“When he finally came to his senses, he said to himself, ‘At home even the hired servants have food enough to spare, and here I am dying of hunger! I will go home to my father and say, “Father, I have sinned against both heaven and you, and I am no longer worthy of being called your son. Please take me on as a hired servant.”’
“So he returned home to his father. And while he was still a long way off, his father saw him coming. Filled with love and compassion, he ran to his son, embraced him, and kissed him. His son said to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against both heaven and you, and I am no longer worthy of being called your son.’
“But his father said to the servants, ‘Quick! Bring the finest robe in the house and put it on
him. Get a ring for his finger and sandals for his feet. And kill the calf we have been fattening. We must celebrate with a feast, for this son of mine was dead and has now returned to life. He was lost, but now he is found.’ So the party began.
“Meanwhile, the older son was in the fields working. When he returned home, he heard music and dancing in the house, and he asked one of the servants what was going on. ‘Your brother is back,’ he was told, ‘and your father has killed the fattened calf. We are celebrating because of his safe return.’
“The older brother was angry and wouldn’t go in. His father came out and begged him, but he replied, ‘All these years I’ve slaved for you and never once refused to do a single thing you told me to. And in all that time you never gave me even one young goat for a feast with my friends. Yet when this son of yours comes back after squandering your money on prostitutes, you celebrate by killing the fattened calf!’
“His father said to him, ‘Look, dear son, you have always stayed by me, and everything I have is yours. We had to celebrate this happy day. For your brother was dead and has come back to life! He was lost, but now he is found!’”
Over the years, I have heard great commentaries on this story (many of which include the visual of Rembrandt's painting.)
“Meanwhile, the older son was in the fields working. When he returned home, he heard music and dancing in the house, and he asked one of the servants what was going on. ‘Your brother is back,’ he was told, ‘and your father has killed the fattened calf. We are celebrating because of his safe return.’
“The older brother was angry and wouldn’t go in. His father came out and begged him, but he replied, ‘All these years I’ve slaved for you and never once refused to do a single thing you told me to. And in all that time you never gave me even one young goat for a feast with my friends. Yet when this son of yours comes back after squandering your money on prostitutes, you celebrate by killing the fattened calf!’
“His father said to him, ‘Look, dear son, you have always stayed by me, and everything I have is yours. We had to celebrate this happy day. For your brother was dead and has come back to life! He was lost, but now he is found!’”
Over the years, I have heard great commentaries on this story (many of which include the visual of Rembrandt's painting.)
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| The Return of the Prodigal Son, Rembrant, 1669 |
Many people point out that both sons miss out the Father's goodness. They take it for granted. They don't understand how good it is to be with the Father.
"If only you knew the heart of your Father. You'd see these cheap imitations, and you wouldn't even bother."
"If only you knew the heart of your Father. You'd see these cheap imitations, and you wouldn't even bother."
It's been a song that reminds me of the times that I have settled for less than the Father, thinking that those cheap imitations weren't so cheap.
So these days, I've been trying to know the heart of my Father. I'm trying to acknowledge that those imitations are what they are: not worth it.
The heart of the Father is made clear through his actions:
- Filled with love and compassion, he runs to the son
- He embraces the son
- He kisses the son
- He dresses the son well
- He gives the son the ring of his authority
- He celebrates the son's return
- He leaves the party to talk to the older son
- He begs the older son to join in the celebration
- He shares everything with his sons
- He celebrates life
The heart of the Father is made clear through his actions in other stories too. He is so, so good. Nothing else comes close to him.
As those song lyrics play on repeat in my head these days, I realize that all I really want is to know the heart of my Father, my God -- and to let that knowledge penetrate into all areas of my life and impact my actions. I don't want any cheap imitation; I want him. And knowing his heart starts with knowing his Word.
I want to be in a place where scripture plays on repeat in my head instead of song lyrics. Care to join me?
How would your life look differently if you knew more of the heart of your Father and stopped settling for cheap imitations?
If you're reading this and want to know more about God's heart and the love he showed each one of us through Jesus, ask me. I'd love to talk about it more with you.
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