Most have heard the story of the prodigal son, told by Jesus to illustrate the depths of God’s love for us. Told from the father’s point of view, it is a story of grace and forgiveness. It is a story that promises a “welcome home” celebration for repentant sinners, even the worst among us.

What if the story were told from the perspective of the prodigal, however? For those who think you can’t relate, let’s compare his journey to summer vacation. When we head out, all we can think about is our imagined destination. Depending on where we’re going, it may be the cool island breezes, the quaint stores and restaurants, or the bright city lights calling out to us.

What we don’t think about are traffic jams, long lines at the airport or the amusement park, and strange tastes and smells. We wonder how the locals manage to drive up and down steep mountain roads that don’t seem wide enough for two-way travel. We find ourselves frustrated when there is no air conditioning, the stores close early, and the cab drivers don’t speak English. Perhaps it’s raining at the beach, or the nearby forests are on fire. Suddenly, in the middle of our dream vacation, we begin to sound like Dorothy from the Wizard of Oz. “There’s no place like home,” we realize.

In many ways, we are all like the prodigal. If we knew all the obstacles we would face in life, we might not ever take a step forward! As youths, we step out of the comfort of our parents’ homes and are excited to take on the world. Just like we do on summer vacations, we know there will be the unexpected things we don’t like, but we don’t want to hear it. We just go. But somewhere along the way, we get tired…and the very place we longed to leave – home – is the one place we really want to be.

The good news is that with God, we always have a loving home to return to. We may leave Him, but He never leaves us. He gives us a place of peace we can return to every day. And if we find ourselves wandering away, we don’t have to worry. All we have to do is turn around, and He will show us the path back to Him, back to home sweet home.

“My people will live in peaceful dwelling places, in secure homes, in undisturbed places of rest.” – Isaiah 32:18

“Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life, and I shall dwell in the house of the Lord forever.” – Psalm 23:6

“Come all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.” – Matthew 11:28