I wrote last week about Elvis. We had just closed Elvis Week in Memphis and I had seen the movie “Elvis.” My continued reflection may say more about me than about him. I won’t even try to rationalize why and what I’m thinking about one of the most celebrated performers in our history. Consider this for a moment: to many of his fans, Elvis is as well known for “How Great Thou Art” as he is for “Blue Suede Shoes.”
In an expansive article, my friend, Steve Beard, concluded, “If one looks at Elvis as a prodigal son, there is good reason to believe that he died on his journey back to the Father’s House.”
If I had read this about Elvis earlier, before I wrote about “another look at the Prodigal Son,” I would have included that assessment. The core lesson of Jesus’ story of the Prodigal is that when the son came home, the father received him as though he had never gone away.
All grace!
It probably took him months to recover from that prodigal journey. I’m sure he bore the marks of the far country for a long time after he returned to his father’s house. Journeying to a far country has a payment. Like the “original prodigal, ” it cost Elvis more than we will ever know. He died early and when died he had 14 different drugs active in his system.
I have never been an Elvis fan, but I don’t know anyone I have appreciated more in their singing gospel music. Though I have been to the area that surrounds his home, Graceland, I have visited it only once. I won’t be celebrating with his fans in the Elvis Weeks that will be coming in the years ahead. Yet, when I happen to hear one of his recordings, or think of him, I’m going to remember, when the prodigal son returned home, the father received him as though he had never been away. All grace! Thank God, in my life as well.