The Prodigal Father

The Prodigal Father
By Larry Linville

He asked if I would pray with his friend
who wanted to get his drinking to end.
I’d seen him all around the little town
as a town drunk whose life was always down.

The three of us talked and then we prayed.
I don’t know how long we really stayed.
Then a difficult question he posed
to see if the church’s doors were closed.

“If I go to church will they accept me?”
I searched for an answer to help him see.
“Some don’t even accept me,” I said
“but most of them will.” And he shook his head.

Although he feared the greatest rejection
God warmed the hearts and blocked their objection
and reached out through them with complete grace
as members shared their immediate space.

He attended there for many a week
to change his life he struggled to seek.
And one day with joy shining in his eyes
he asked if I thought he could be baptized.

He flew into his new life on a run
and re-connected with his estranged son.
This new relationship grew each day
and they both worked to put the past away.

It’s good their love grew very strong
but it wouldn’t get to last for long.
Cancer raised it’s cruel ugly head.
In a few months the father was dead.

He died very early one sad day
as the son and I held his hands to pray.
His life may have too soon come to an end
but his once distant son was now his friend.

© Copyright 2008 Larry Linville (UN: larrylinville at Writing.Com). All rights reserved.
Larry Linville has granted Writing.Com, its affiliates and syndicates non-exclusive rights to display this work.