The parable in Luke 15 – like all parables – has two levels. On the superficial level it tells the story of a son who said "Drop Dead!" to his father, ran away from home, and came back to find his dad waiting for him with arms opened wide. On the deeper level, it paints a picture of what human beings have done in running away from God, and how God has run to us in love.
Mark Stibbe
From the book “The Father You've Been Waiting For: Portrait of a Perfect Dad”