One day a young boy wandered away from his father seeking greener pastures. Not that his father’s land was not green, but that he was seeking an unscrupulous adventure far from his father’s will and way. Thus he traveled far and distant.
In that distant land he settled for the kind of lifestyle that pleased him—a wasteful and vain life. He squandered the resources he had obtained from his father, and he started to suffer hunger and lack. He eventually began to work as one who takes care of pigs, but he was not satisfied with bread, so that the pod of the pigs was good to him. But no man gave him anything. But a day came when he had a moment of thought and realized that he had made a terrible mistake. And then he said to himself,
“I will arise and go to my father and will say unto him, ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven, and before thee…’” (Luke 15:18)
He got up, packed his shattered hopes and dreams, carried his shameful self, and traced his way back to his father whom he had departed from. When his father saw him coming from afar, in great compassion he ran out to receive and welcome him back home.
Today, just like the prodigal son, many believers have lost their way; many have gone astray. Too many have wandered far from God; many have lost that vital contact and relationship they had with Jesus. Once true sons and daughters, many of us have wandered into darkness in pursuit of money, women, men, fame, pleasure, recognition, riches, and position, thereby losing their salvation and the eternal hope. Many servants of God have gone in the pursuit of vain glory and honour; therefore, God has distanced himself from them, and he has stripped them of his glory, anointing, and power.
Herein is what we must learn from the parable of the lost son.
- Life without Christ is shattered dreams.
Children of the world may find crooked ways, but kingdom sons and daughters may not survive far from their God. Sometimes, hard times and troubles are the signs of our departure from God. The prodigal son was quick to realize that distancing himself from his father had led him into much suffering.
- Counting the losses
There is no one who departs from God that does not lose out on the great things one shared with God: the glory and honour, the heavenly privileges and gifts, the kingdom authority and power. Just like the parable, losses are there to help us see that we have erred.
- Not ashamed of returning after a fall.
Fear of what men will say when they come clean before God and the church as sinners, backsliders, and seekers of a new start with God has kept many in the pit of backsliding. They would rather remain lost instead of humbling themselves back to God. The prodigal son had a different mindset.
- The father’s unending love.
God does not turn away his heart from his prodigal sons and daughters. He yearns and still earnestly desires that they would return to him in good time. Christ’s mercy is not only for sinners but also for those who were once for him but have wandered far away.
- He returned to where he was hewn from
Jesus told this parable as a message to backslidden believers, that they do not remain in their fall but rather, rise up and turn back to their God whose mercies do not fail.
