Returning Home: A Journey of Grace Through the Parable of the Prodigal SonSample

1. What are some words to describe a really good hug?
2. How do you think the younger son felt when his dad ran to him and hugged him?
3. PARENTS: Share a story of when you needed a hug. Maybe it was when someone close to you died. Or maybe when you hurt yourself on the playground and needed some comfort. Did you get it? How did it make you feel? Or how do you wish someone would have responded when you didn’t get what you needed?
4. READ ALOUD: When we’re away from the people we love for a long time, we almost always celebrate reuniting with them by hugging each other. Why is that? The act of hugging is an act of security. It communicates, “You’re here. And you’re safe.” In the parable, the younger son had been gone a long time and was in some very unsafe situations. He must have felt so much relief to come back into the warm embrace of his father’s arms. Just like the father in the parable, God is always happy when we come back to Him. And if we’ve been gone a long time, it’s a cause for celebration! Good food! Dance music! Maybe costumes! God is always ready to embrace us when we come back to Him.
5. How does God feel when we pray to Him and ask for forgiveness? How do you know?
6. What are some ways we can celebrate being loved and forgiven by God?

Pray This Prayer:

Heavenly Father, thank You for loving us no matter what. Forgive us for the times when we have walked away from You in the past, and thank You for Your forgiveness for when we will walk away from You in the future. Thank You for always being ready to welcome us back when we have been away. Amen.