The Prodigal’s Confession

Read: Luke 15:11-24
Listen: Luke 15

This year in Beyond the Weekend, journey through different biblical models of prayer—one each month. March’s focus is Prayers of Confession.

“Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son.” Luke 15:21

Jesus tells this parable as part of three stories about God’s heart for the lost—a lost sheep, a lost coin, and a lost son (Luke 15:1-10). Religious leaders grumble that Jesus welcomes sinners, so he responds with these stories to reveal the Father’s heart. In the story of the prodigal, a young son insults his father by demanding his inheritance early. He leaves home and wastes everything on reckless living. At his lowest moment of starvation, he comes to his senses. He rehearses a confession and heads home, prepared to beg for a servant’s position. But before he even finishes his speech, his father runs to him, embraces him, and throws a celebration. The son’s confession is met not with anger or conditions but with overwhelming love.

Confession means coming to our senses about our sin and turning back to God. Like the prodigal son, we sometimes wander far from God, chasing things that promise satisfaction but leave us empty. We may feel too ashamed to approach him or worry we’ve gone too far. But this parable reveals a stunning truth: God doesn’t wait for us to clean ourselves up. He runs toward us. Through Jesus, God has already made the way for our forgiveness. When we turn to him and honestly admit our sin against God, we find a Father ready to embrace and restore us. Confession is simply coming home.

TODAY: Is there an area where you’ve wandered from God? Turn back to him in honest prayer, confess where you’ve strayed, and trust that your Father is already running toward you with open arms.