"And he said, "There was a man who had two sons. And the younger of them said to his father, 'Father, give me the share of property that is coming to me.' And he divided his property between them. Not many days later, the younger son gathered all he had and took a journey into a far country, and there he squandered his property in reckless living. And when he had spent everything, a severe famine arose in that country, and he began to be in need. So he went out and hired himself out to one of the citizens of that country, who sent him into his fields to feed pigs. And he was longing to be fed with the pods that the pigs ate, and no one gave him anything. But when he came to himself, he said, 'How many of my father's hired servants have more than enough bread, but I perish here with hunger! I will arise and go to my father and I will say to him, 'Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son. Treat me as one of your hired servants.' And he arose and came to his father. But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and felt compassion, and ran and embraced him and kissed him. And the son said to him, 'Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son.' But the father said to his servants, 'Bring quickly the best robe, and put it on him, and put a ring on his hand, and shoes on his feet. And bring the fattened calf and kill it, and let us eat and celebrate. For this my son was dead, and is alive again; he was lost, and is found." Luke 15:11-24 ESV
The story of the prodigal son is a great example of how our Heavenly Father forgives us unconditionally.
I see it pictured this way....
"An old man sits on his porch every day looking out into the wide open space, he always looks as if he is looking for something or someone. Then one day as he looks off into the distance he glimpses a familiar shape at the edge of his property. As it grows closer the old man grows more and more excited and finally when he can't stand the suspense, the old man gets up from his spot on the porch and steps off it. First he is walking then as he grows closer to the silhouette that is coming in his direction, the old man breaks into a dead sprint. He knows the shape of the son that he had lost. He knows the height and the walk of the boy that had left him so many years ago. He is now running so fast that when he reaches his son he almost tackles him. With complete joy and forgiveness he welcomes the son that he lost back home. He calls all his neighbors, family, and friends to come help him celebrate the son that left and was feared dead."
Why did I say dead? Because when we are living a life of sin we are exactly that, we are dead men. While we may still look on the outside to be alive and kicking, on the inside, at our core we are dead as dead can be. It is only when we find our way back "home" that we realize just how dead we actually were.
I can only describe the feeling of coming back home to Jesus one way...try and imagine the thing that makes you feel the best or the happiest and secure...then multiply it by infinity. That is what makes being a Christian so awesome. You wake up every day and go to bed every night knowing that you are alive on the inside and that you are worth something. You know your worth. That is better than any insurance that you can buy on earth. It is more valuable than silver or gold, more valuable than houses or cars, there is nothing on this earth that can compare with the knowledge that you are God's!
I don't know what your struggle is but I promise there is a place of rest and a place of security. It is in the arms of the Father. He will wipe away every tear and reassure you of your value, you only need come to him like the son did the father.
Turn around right now and don't walk, RUN!
The story of the prodigal son is a great example of how our Heavenly Father forgives us unconditionally.
I see it pictured this way....
"An old man sits on his porch every day looking out into the wide open space, he always looks as if he is looking for something or someone. Then one day as he looks off into the distance he glimpses a familiar shape at the edge of his property. As it grows closer the old man grows more and more excited and finally when he can't stand the suspense, the old man gets up from his spot on the porch and steps off it. First he is walking then as he grows closer to the silhouette that is coming in his direction, the old man breaks into a dead sprint. He knows the shape of the son that he had lost. He knows the height and the walk of the boy that had left him so many years ago. He is now running so fast that when he reaches his son he almost tackles him. With complete joy and forgiveness he welcomes the son that he lost back home. He calls all his neighbors, family, and friends to come help him celebrate the son that left and was feared dead."
Why did I say dead? Because when we are living a life of sin we are exactly that, we are dead men. While we may still look on the outside to be alive and kicking, on the inside, at our core we are dead as dead can be. It is only when we find our way back "home" that we realize just how dead we actually were.
I can only describe the feeling of coming back home to Jesus one way...try and imagine the thing that makes you feel the best or the happiest and secure...then multiply it by infinity. That is what makes being a Christian so awesome. You wake up every day and go to bed every night knowing that you are alive on the inside and that you are worth something. You know your worth. That is better than any insurance that you can buy on earth. It is more valuable than silver or gold, more valuable than houses or cars, there is nothing on this earth that can compare with the knowledge that you are God's!
I don't know what your struggle is but I promise there is a place of rest and a place of security. It is in the arms of the Father. He will wipe away every tear and reassure you of your value, you only need come to him like the son did the father.
Turn around right now and don't walk, RUN!
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