Jesus wanted a strong metaphor for the reality of being separated from God. He also wanted an equally strong metaphor that described the extent of God’s love. And so he told a simple but honest story about families as a way to describe our relationship with the Creator God: “A man had two sons …”
The experience of being lost can be complex and profound or it can be quite simple. It can be as simple as forgetfulness whereby you lose touch with who you are and where you’ve come from. I love the story of the four-year-old girl who leaned in close over her newborn baby brother’s ear as he slept and whispered innocently to him, “Baby, tell me what God feels like. I’m starting to forget.”
Our wandering may have been quite innocent. Like sheep, Jesus would suggest. Just nibbling from one clump of grass to the next until we’ve wandered off away from the safety of the flock. Just nibbling around on this or that attitude, this or that behavior, this or that “whatever” and before you know it, you’re lost. You can’t remember how you got this far away from home and you can’t find your way back without someone to guide you.
