“我要起来，到我父亲那里去，向他说：父亲！我得罪了天，又得罪了你。” – 路 15:18
作为一名牧师，我经常与一些父母交谈，他们对自己的儿子或女儿不再认为基督重要而感到失望。我总是试图向他们保证，一个人回到上帝和祂的子民身边永远不会太晚。
耶稣讲了一个儿子离家出走的故事。他没有和父亲一起打理家业，而是要求继承遗产，然后把钱浪费放荡。在当时看来，这可能是一个很有吸引力的想法，但就像我们许多罪的决定一样，它导致了个人的灾难。
当他的钱花光后，这个年轻人开始与猪打交道——一种犹太人厌恶的“不洁”动物。当他“醒悟过来”时，他问自己：“我怎么会到这里来的？”
我们可能会发现自己也在问同样的问题，因为我们已经远离了我们的天父。悔改是我们回归的第一步。虽然我们自己没有能力恢复与上帝的关系，但天父承诺，当我们带着悔改的心回转时，祂会接纳我们。
如果你发现自己远离天父，祂邀请你今天回到祂身边。悔改和归回，上帝要欢迎你回家。
祷告
天父，感谢你在基督里的恩典和怜悯。求你保守我们不要远离你的眷顾，给我们勇气回到你身边，知道你会奔跑着迎接我们回家。阿们。
路加福音 15:11-32
11耶稣又说：“一个人有两个儿子。
12小儿子对父亲说：‘父亲，请你把我应得的家业分给我。’他父亲就把产业分给他们。
13过了不多几日，小儿子就把他一切所有的都收拾起来，往远方去了。在那里任意放荡，浪费资财。
14既耗尽了一切所有的，又遇着那地方大遭饥荒，就穷苦起来。
15于是去投靠那地方的一个人，那人打发他到田里去放猪。
16他恨不得拿猪所吃的豆荚充饥，也没有人给他。
17他醒悟过来，就说：‘我父亲有多少的雇工，口粮有余，我倒在这里饿死吗？
18我要起来，到我父亲那里去，向他说：“父亲，我得罪了天，又得罪了你。
19从今以后，我不配称为你的儿子，把我当做一个雇工吧！”’
20于是起来，往他父亲那里去。相离还远，他父亲看见，就动了慈心，跑去抱着他的颈项，连连与他亲嘴。
21儿子说：‘父亲，我得罪了天，又得罪了你。从今以后，我不配称为你的儿子。’
22父亲却吩咐仆人说：‘把那上好的袍子快拿出来给他穿，把戒指戴在他指头上，把鞋穿在他脚上，
23把那肥牛犊牵来宰了，我们可以吃喝快乐！
24因为我这个儿子是死而复活，失而又得的。’他们就快乐起来。
25那时，大儿子正在田里。他回来，离家不远，听见作乐跳舞的声音，
26便叫过一个仆人来，问是什么事。
27仆人说：‘你兄弟来了，你父亲因为得他无灾无病地回来，把肥牛犊宰了。’
28大儿子却生气，不肯进去。他父亲就出来劝他。
29他对父亲说：‘我服侍你这多年，从来没有违背过你的命，你并没有给我一只山羊羔，叫我和朋友一同快乐。
30但你这个儿子和娼妓吞尽了你的产业，他一来了，你倒为他宰了肥牛犊！’
31父亲对他说：‘儿啊！你常和我同在，我一切所有的都是你的。
32只是你这个兄弟是死而复活、失而又得的，所以我们理当欢喜快乐。’”
He Came To His Senses
“I will set out and go back to my father and say to him: Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you.” – Luke 15:18
As a pastor, I often talk with parents who are disappointed that their son or daughter no longer thinks Christ is important. I always try to assure them that it is never too late for someone to return to God and his people.
Jesus tells a story about a son who ran away from home. Rather than work with his father on the family estate, the son demanded his inheritance and then wasted it on wild living. It probably seemed like an attractive idea at the time, but like many of our sinful decisions, it led to personal disaster.
When his money was all gone, the young man wound up working with pigs—”unclean” animals that were detestable to Jews. And as he “came to his senses,” he asked himself, in effect, “How did I get here?”
We might find ourselves asking the same question, having drifted far away from our Father. Repentance is the first step we take to return. And while we do not have the power to restore our relationship with God on our own, our Father promises to receive us back when we come with a repentant heart.
If you find yourself far from the Father, he invites you to come back to him today. Repent and return, and God will welcome you home.
Prayer
Heavenly Father, thank you for your grace and mercy in Christ. Keep us from wandering from your care. Give us the courage to return to you, knowing that you will run to welcome us home. Amen.
诵读: 骆云秀
片头: 张妙阳
