We hear stories every day about people hitting rock bottom. Maybe it’s that young guy who had every opportunity laid out before him—good family, education, a stable job—but he threw it all away for a taste of freedom. He wanted to live life on his own terms, so he packed up, headed for the bright lights of a big city, and spent every last dime chasing a lifestyle he thought would make him happy. But it didn’t. It just left him empty, broken, and alone.

Sound familiar? It’s the same story Jesus told two thousand years ago. The Prodigal Son. That story is as real today as it was back then. Here’s how Jesus laid it out in Luke 15:11-32.

“A certain man had two sons. And the younger of them said to his father, ‘Father, give me the portion of goods that falls to me.’ So he divided to them his livelihood. And not many days after, the younger son gathered all together, journeyed to a far country, and there wasted his possessions with prodigal living.” (Luke 15:11-13).

That kid wanted his inheritance early, and he wasn’t about to stay on the family farm one more day. He thought he had it all figured out—sound familiar? A lot of folks today have this idea that they need to break free from the ‘chains’ of family, faith, and community. They run off into the world thinking it’ll give them freedom, but what they find is that the world’s freedom comes with shackles of its own.

“But when he had spent all, there arose a severe famine in that land, and he began to be in want. Then he went and joined himself to a citizen of that country, and he sent him into his fields to feed swine. And he would gladly have filled his stomach with the pods that the swine ate, and no one gave him anything.” (Luke 15:14-16).

The Prodigal Son found out real quick that life apart from his father wasn’t as glamorous as he thought. And let’s not forget, for a Jewish boy, feeding pigs was about as low as you could get. It’s the same today. People get out there, chasing every thrill they can find, only to wind up in the mud, broke and alone. Nobody told them that freedom without boundaries leads to destruction.

“But when he came to himself, he said, ‘How many of my father’s hired servants have bread enough and to spare, and I perish with hunger! I will arise and go to my father, and will say to him, “Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you, and I am no longer worthy to be called your son. Make me like one of your hired servants.”‘ And he arose and came to his father.” (Luke 15:17-20).

Here’s the turning point. The son woke up and realized he had it better under his father’s roof. That’s the moment of repentance. It’s when you come to the end of yourself and see the mess you’ve made of things. So many people today need to have that wake-up call and realize that the life they’ve been chasing isn’t what it’s cracked up to be. The beautiful part? God, our Heavenly Father, is right there, waiting for us to come to our senses.

“But when he was still a great way off, his father saw him and had compassion, and ran and fell on his neck and kissed him.” (Luke 15:20).

Do you see the power in that? The father didn’t wait for his son to crawl back in shame. He ran to him! That’s how God is with us. He’s not sitting back, arms crossed, waiting to lecture us. He’s ready to run to us, embrace us, and restore us the moment we turn back to Him.

“And the son said to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and in your sight, and am no longer worthy to be called your son.’ But the father said to his servants, ‘Bring out the best robe and put it on him, and put a ring on his hand and sandals on his feet. And bring the fatted calf here and kill it, and let us eat and be merry; for this my son was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.’” (Luke 15:21-24).

That’s the Gospel in action. It’s the story of every one of us who’s turned away, only to realize that real life is found in the Father’s house. And don’t miss this: the father didn’t make him earn his way back. He didn’t tell him to clean up first. He restored him fully, right there, on the spot. That’s God’s grace. And it’s available to every single person today, no matter how far they’ve strayed.

So, what’s the takeaway here? We’ve all got a little Prodigal in us. Maybe you’re reading this, and you know you’ve run off to a “far country,” chasing after the world’s empty promises. It’s time to come home. God’s not waiting with a list of your failures; He’s ready to throw a feast in your honor. You just have to turn around and start walking back to Him.

And to the rest of us who think we’ve stayed home, like the older brother in the parable? It’s time to check our hearts. Are we bitter because God shows grace to people we think don’t deserve it? It’s time to remember that God’s grace is for everyone—even the Prodigals among us.