The Prodigal
This text is the transcription file of the podcast “Kiki and Ingrid – a young chinese woman meets Ingrid, the singer and songwriter”
I’m coming home to you, my Father.
I am the prodigal; please forgive me.
I’m coming home,
but I am not worthy
to be your child. Let me be your servant.
A father’s heart, filled with love,
forgives me even though I don’t deserve it.
God’s heart is like a father’s heart;
He is longing for me to come home.
I did not want to obey you, Father.
I did not want to see
that your thoughts were love
and you gave me all your gifts and blessings.
I did not want to see the tears in your eyes.
Life away from you seemed so easy.
Each day I did what I chose to do.
But my friends were only close to me
while I still had money.
When my money was gone,
they left me too.
Then I stood alone, with everything lost,
and I had to work as a servant.
I had to eat the food of pigs, remembering how good you are.
And I went home, not feeling worthy
to be in your house, even as a servant.
But you were waiting there for me to come,
and you called me: my son.food of pigs remembering how good you are
And I went home not feeling worthy
To be in your house as a servant
But you were waiting there for me to come
And you are calling me: my son
Text from the Bible:
11 And he said, A certain man had two sons:
12 And the younger of them said to his father, Father, give me the portion of goods that falleth to me. And he divided unto them his living.
13 And not many days after the younger son gathered all together, and took his journey into a far country, and there wasted his substance with riotous living.
14 And when he had spent all, there arose a mighty famine in that land; and he began to be in want.
15 And he went and joined himself to a citizen of that country; and he sent him into his fields to feed swine.
16 And he would fain have filled his belly with the husks that the swine did eat: and no man gave unto him.
17 And when he came to himself, he said, How many hired servants of my father’s have bread enough and to spare, and I perish with hunger!
18 I will arise and go to my father, and will say unto him, Father, I have sinned against heaven, and before thee,
19 And am no more worthy to be called thy son: make me as one of thy hired servants.
20 And he arose, and came to his father. But when he was yet a great way off, his father saw him, and had compassion, and ran, and fell on his neck, and kissed him.
21 And the son said unto him, Father, I have sinned against heaven, and in thy sight, and am no more worthy to be called thy son.
22 But the father said to his servants, Bring forth the best robe, and put it on him; and put a ring on his hand, and shoes on his feet:
23 And bring hither the fatted calf, and kill it; and let us eat, and be merry:
24 For this my son was dead, and is alive again; he was lost and is found. And they began to be merry.
25 Now his elder son was in the field: and as he came and drew nigh to the house, he heard musick and dancing.
26 And he called one of the servants, and asked what these things meant.
27 And he said unto him, Thy brother is come; and thy father hath killed the fatted calf, because he hath received him safe and sound.
28 And he was angry, and would not go in: therefore came his father out, and intreated him.
29 And he answering said to his father, Lo, these many years do I serve thee, neither transgressed I at any time thy commandment: and yet thou never gavest me a kid, that I might make merry with my friends:
30 But as soon as this thy son was come, which hath devoured thy living with harlots, thou hast killed for him the fatted calf.
31 And he said unto him, Son, thou art ever with me, and all that I have is thine.
32 It was meet that we should make merry, and be glad: for this thy brother was dead, and is alive again; and was lost, and is found.
Luke 15
How does the concept of forgiveness play a role in our relationships, both with others and with ourselves?
Since we all commit sins and make mistakes, relationships without forgiveness are not possible. If we want to live together in peace and harmony, it is necessary that we forgive each other. Otherwise, bitterness arises, which destroys every relationship. Bitterness is like the root of a tree that grows and destroys all aspects of our life and relationships.
14 Follow peace with all men, and holiness, without which no man shall see the Lord:
15 Looking diligently lest any man fail of the grace of God; lest any root of bitterness springing up trouble you, and thereby many be defiled;
Hebr 12
This is why forgiveness is a central topic in the Bible. First, because God has forgiven us, since Jesus Christ died for our sins on Calvary. If we accept this sacrifice, we are forgiven and can have a relationship with the living God.
6 For when we were yet without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly.
7 For scarcely for a righteous man will one die: yet peradventure for a good man some would even dare to die.
8 But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.
Romans 5
God also calls us to forgive the people around us. There is the story of the servant who was not willing to forgive his colleague a small debt, even though his master had forgiven him a large, unpayable debt.
21 Then came Peter to him, and said, Lord, how oft shall my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? till seven times?
22 Jesus saith unto him, I say not unto thee, Until seven times: but, Until seventy times seven.
… (Matthew 18 continued)
In this story, the servant who was unwilling to forgive had to go to prison. This is a good image for what happens when we do not forgive: we go into a spiritual and emotional prison, suffering alone without fellowship with others.
In other parts of the Bible, God calls us not to let the sun go down before we forgive, and when we are angry, we shall not sin.
26 Be ye angry, and sin not: let not the sun go down upon your wrath:
Eph 4
The Bible speaks a clear language on the topic of forgiveness.
What does it mean to truly feel worthy of love and acceptance, especially when we feel like we have made mistakes or fallen short?
Even when we cannot get proper acceptance in our work or life, we have to see from whom we seek love and forgiveness. The only one who can give us real love and forgiveness is God in heaven. Only He knows our true worth because we are so valuable to Him that He gave His Son for us.
3 For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Saviour;
4 Who will have all men to be saved, and to come unto the knowledge of the truth.
5 For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus;
6 Who gave himself a ransom for all, to be testified in due time.
1 Tim 2
The next place where we should receive love is our family. But often, even there, we do not get the love we need, and from colleagues at work, we often do not receive it either.
So my conclusion is: the only place where we can find real love is in a good relationship with God.
1 Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ:
Rom 5
When you receive Jesus Christ as your Savior, you enter the narrow door. It is the beginning of the journey, not the end. Walking on this narrow path leads to sanctification.
13 Enter ye in at the strait gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat:
14 Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it.
Matthew 7
God will guide us, and the more we walk with Him each day, the more we will see His transformation. This is a process that takes years. At the beginning, we naturally make many mistakes, but the more time we spend with Him, the more we understand His ways and can enjoy what He has done for us.
Life Lessons from “The Prodigal”
The song The Prodigal teaches us about challenges, repentance, and God’s love. The prodigal son did not want a safe life in his father’s house; he wanted to live as he pleased. God allowed him to make his own choices but never stopped waiting for him.
Even when life became difficult, the prodigal realized his mistakes and returned home. The father welcomed him with love and celebration, while the elder brother struggled with jealousy.
From this story, we learn:
- Humility and gratitude are necessary; we are not entitled to anything.
- Everything we receive from God is a gift.
- Real love and forgiveness come only from God, and God teaches us to share them with others.
I personally experienced being a “prodigal.” I once walked away from God and searched for meaning in other religions and philosophies. One day, I felt God calling me to church, and I repented. I wrote the song The Prodigal to express my feelings at that time.
