A Closer Walk: When the Father Ran

Brian started selling drugs in high school when he figured out he could use other people’s money to finance his own drug habit. He first sold weed, then moved to speed, his drug of choice. After high school he started selling cocaine. He was arrested multiple times and once when they had a search warrant, the police tore his parent’s house apart looking for Brian’s drugs. He knew he had to leave his hometown before he turned 18. He was hounded by the police and he would be charged as an adult once he turned 18.

His brother was stationed in Albuquerque, so that seemed like the best place to move to. Nothing changed. Brian continued to deal drugs, speed, cocaine, crack and meth. He was constantly dealing. He moved to Phoenix for a while, but a drug deal went terribly wrong, he got in trouble and had to return to Albuquerque.

In 1999, Federal Marshalls raided his house at 5:00 in the morning. They kicked in the door, wearing black masks and pointed guns at his wife and daughter. It was part of a federal wire tap case and 14 people, including Brian, were arrested that morning. He was thankful the Marshalls did not search his house, because they would have found an abundance of drugs. But they only wanted Brian.

He was convicted of moving drugs across state lines and sentenced to five years in federal prison. After many months in jail, the first part of his sentence was house arrest with an ankle monitor. They did not want to release him back to his own home or to his wife, because she was also a drug addict. The judge finally agreed to allow him to live at his father’s house. Brian was 38 years old, and would spend the next 15 months on house arrest. He put his parents through so much. He rehearsed in his head how he would apologize and thank them for taking him back in after all he had done.

He would never forget stepping out of the vehicle to walk up to his parent’s house. He was nervous and racked with guilt for his crimes, for getting caught, for the lies, the stealing and the agony he caused his family. Before he could say a word, his father opened the front door and ran out to where Brian was. He threw his arms around him and gave Brian the biggest bear hug! He didn’t let go for the longest time.

Brian’s wife and daughter moved into his parent’s house as well. Around Christmas time, his wife saw some signs for a church that met in a junior high school. She attended the Christmas Eve service and invited the family to join her the next week. Brian was not allowed to leave the house because of the ankle monitor, but he was able to get permission to attend the church on Sunday mornings.

One of the first sermons he heard was from the book of Luke chapter 15, the Parable of the Prodigal Son. Brian was astonished at the story. He remembered some years back, when his Grandmother gave him an inheritance of $36,000. As a drug addict, he quickly squandered all the money on drugs and hard living. The Pastor read the story of the son in the Bible, wasting his inheritance and then returning to his father, hoping the father would take him as a servant. Brian wept when he heard the boy’s father ran to his son and threw his arms around him and welcomed him back into the family.

That was his story! Brian was blown away that his exact story was in the Bible!

“But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and was filled with compassion for him; he ran to his son, threw his arms around him and kissed him.

²¹“The son said to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son.’

²²“But the father said to his servants, ‘Quick! Bring the best robe and put it on him. Put a ring on his finger and sandals on his feet. ²³Bring the fattened calf and kill it. Let’s have a feast and celebrate. ²⁴For this son of mine was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.’ So they began to celebrate.” Luke 15:20-24

Have you had a prodigal son or daughter?

Don’t you love the heart of our Heavenly Father who loves us

unconditionally and runs to us when we return to Him?

(Click here for the rest of Brian’s amazing story.)