Tim Keller’s “The Prodigal God”

Yesterday I started reading Tim Keller’s, “The Prodigal God.”

Before I began, I assumed it would be edifying and I would learn/grow. But having made it through just over half of the book in one long afternoon of combined childcare and reading, I have to say that I have also been tremendously blessed. And I am looking forward to finishing the rest of the book and discussing it in our women’s study that will meet this summer.

(We’re having a brief women’s study May 27 – July 8 … right up until the time when Ella Marie should be, Lord willing, making her arrival. So if you’re in the Billings area and can join us on Wednesdays from 1:00-2:30, please drop me a note and let me know! We are praying in particular for our friends who do not yet know the Lord—that this study will be (Lord willing!) a safe, warm, fun, and accurate presentation of the real gospel and that we will all love each other well.)

My intention when I started this post was to summarize some of the main ideas/thoughts/questions that I wrote in the margins of the book. But after taking the time to watch and post the video (below) — which I hope you will watch too! — and hearing Sophia moving around upstairs, I think I’m going to have to keep this brief.

So here are just a few, relatively random thoughts from my notes:

– “One of the signs that you may not grasp the unique, radical nature of the gospel is that you are certain that you do.”

– The term ‘prodigal’ does not mean wayward, but reckless. To spend until you have nothing left. The father’s welcome to the repentant son was literally reckless because he refused to “reckon” or count his sin against him or demand repayment.

– If your view of “The Parable of the Prodigal Son” only focuses on “God’s unconditional love,” then you have a sentimental view of this parable and you are missing out on the heart of its teaching.

(This is a particularly strong point for both Fred and me because as we’ve discussed this book we’ve also discussed how most children’s books, Sunday school lessons for little children, picture Bibles, etc. focus EXCLUSIVELY on the younger brother. But it’s so good (and easy! kids see it right away!) to help children to see the parallels between the older brother’s response and the Pharisees’ response–and our OWN responses–too.)

– When the younger brother asks for his inheritance, he is asking the father to tear his life apart. “And the father does so, for the love of his son … The father endures a tremendous loss of honor as well as the pain of rejected love. Ordinarily when our love is rejected we get angry, retaliate, and do what we can to diminish our affection for the rejection person so we won’t hurt so much. But this father maintains his affection for his son and bears the agony.”

– The elder brother also disgraces the father. And the father again responds with amazing tenderness.

– Jesus uses the younger and elder brothers to portray the two basic ways people try to find happiness and fulfillment: the way of MORAL CONFORMITY and the way of SELF-DISCOVERY. Both of these approaches are much more alike than they first appear. And both are wrong. Jesus’ parable illustrates the radical alternative.

– The prerequisite for receiving the grace of God is to know you need it.

(Can’t even write that last line without starting to sing, “This He gives you! This He gives you! Listen to the Savior’s voice.”)

Much, much more to process about this jam-packed, accessible, well-written, engaging little book.
But now it’s time for me to feed my precious daughter and head into our day.

Praying for the grace to turn away from my elder brother-ish tendencies–

Yours,
Tara B.