There are only three characters in the well-known story of the prodigal son. The wayward son, who returns home after wasting his father’s money and his own life; the father, who is the real hero of the story-who welcomes his wayward son with open arms; and the older son who stayed home and served his father faithfully for many years.

We often give little thought to the older son, who only shows up in the story when he becomes angry that his father throws a party for the wayward son, but didn’t for him. But if you think about it, the world is run on “older brothers” who are faithful, diligent, hard-working, and yet fail to see the blessings of being with the father every day.

All too often those who have never “run away” have never experienced the joy of “coming home” They have never felt “lost”, and therefore have not felt the need to be “saved.” Too many have wasted years, being near in proximity to God, yet not enjoying His love, presence and guidance. God does seek out the one who has wandered away, but He also wants to convert the religious people.

It is not enough to be a cultural Christian. It’s not sufficient to show up on Sabbath morning, and maybe even on Wednesday night for prayer meeting, yet fail to be confronted with the reality that without a personal relationship with Jesus we are all lost.

Whether you have been in the church for decades, or have recently come home, I would invite you to experience the embrace of the Father anew. I would encourage you to discover the deep and passionate love of Jesus in a new and fresh way, today, and every day.

Mike Edge, Conference President