The parable of the prodigal son in Luke 15 is one of my favourite bible passages and I am always keen to read any books that cover this amazing story. The Road Home, by J.John, is a book based on this parable which I read again last weekend.
J.John retells the story through the eyes of a servant who works for the father. He captures the heartache that the father experiences when the younger son leaves and the wonderful joy when he returns. We also see clearly the bitterness and anger of the older son too. The book concludes with the servant himself also discovering the father’s love, which deeply affects him as well.
I think that this is a very clever spin on the parable of the prodigal son. The introduction of the servant and another couple of characters works well. I found the book both moving and encouraging. The author through this story reminds us of the grace and forgiveness and extraordinary love of the father. I also like the fact that he reminds us that there are two sons in this story. There are lessons that can be learned through the rebellious attitude of the older son too.
Although I have read it before it was good to read it again. The book is a short one, only 95 pages and can be read straight through fairly quickly. This book is both encouraging for Christians and also challenging for those yet to experience the wonderful joy of returning to the father.
Still Learning 