Lessons from the Prodigal Son – Part 2

“Not long after that, the younger son got together all he had, set off for a distant country and there squandered his wealth in wild living. Luke 15:13

The Prodigal Son told his father, ‘I want it all, now!’ To know whether something is good for you or not, you need to understand where the desire for it came from. Loving parents don’t give their children things because they cry for them; they reward them for acting responsibly. They know what’s age-appropriate. And God is a loving parent. We all know good, well-intentioned people whose talents elevated them. Yet they crashed and burned because of some immature, undisciplined area in their life. Please listen to your heavenly Father and don’t leave home until He says you’re ready! The Prodigal ‘wasted his substance with riotous living.’ Note the word ‘substance’. Satan is after more than your material possessions; he’s after your character, your self-esteem, your staying power, and your life’s purpose. Like the Prodigal Son, you can reach a place where you lose your very desire for life itself. It’s possible to bask in the accolades of others and think you’re going places in life, yet be only a few steps from the pig sty. The Bible says, ‘…He…joined himself to a citizen of that country; and he sent him into his fields to feed swine’ (v. 15). Note the word ‘joined’. To gauge where you are spiritually, look at who you’re ‘joined’ to. The company you keep is like a compass that points you in the direction you’re headed. And that compass doesn’t lie. But there’s hope. When the Prodigal Son returned home, his father was waiting for him with open arms. And your heavenly Father is waiting for you too, so come while you still can.

Prayer
Heavenly Father, thank You for Your grace that patiently waits for me and comes out to me when I have strayed away. In Jesus’ Name, Amen