Do you know where the “far country” is? I serve a city church. Almost every morning, I walk by the door just outside my office and someone is sleeping on the steps. On the cold mornings, if someone is there, I stop and I watch until I see movement to know that nobody died on our steps overnight. That’s the far country. “No one gave him anything.” The parable tells us the prodigal came to himself. Some preachers interpret that graciously: He recognized the error of his ways and resolved to improve his life. Others are more skeptical: He realized he was starving to death, so he decided to come up with a good speech to deliver to his father and head home. The grace of it all is that it doesn’t really matter if he recognized the error of his ways or simply desired a solid meal. His father takes off running for him and there is a new robe, a new ring, a big feast. That’s when the far country comes home. “I have worked for you, I have slaved, and you never threw me a party.” The older son has done everything right in his life. He stayed home and worked hard. The return of his younger brother from the far country and the joy of his father send him into an emotional crisis. Suddenly, readers of the story are back in the far country again … “no one gave him anything.” You can find the rest of the commentary on our website.
Thanks to this week's guest writer, Rev. Dr. Baron Mullis. | 
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