This message continues a series I began in a previous post about encountering truth through the Word and the Spirit found here https://janetdecaster.com/encountering-the-truth/
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Luke 15: 20, (in part) …”his father saw him and had compassion”…
Maybe you’ve read it, or at least heard about it? It’s the story of the “Prodigal Son” (or Lost Son) in the Book of Luke, chapter 15:11-32. (Read it here https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=luke%2015%3A11-32&version=NKJV)
In the story, Jesus uses a parable, (a simple story that everyone can relate to), to illustrate the Gospel. A father has two sons, the younger of whom makes terrible, sinful moral and financial decisions. The younger son runs off to a far away place, spends his inheritance early and finds himself in a horrible mess. After becoming penniless and broken-hearted from his immoral choices and overspending, the young man finally comes to his senses. He realizes that chasing lustful pleasures doesn’t satisfy.
Eventually, the young man decides to go home, back to his father’s house. Repentant and apologetic, he humbles himself, and turns away from his lifestyle of sin. After asking for forgiveness, he is welcomed home with open arms by his Father.** I could write volumes on this story, but for now just the main point: this parable perfectly illustrates the need of every person to repent of their sins, leave a lifestyle of sin and turn to Jesus Christ as their personal Savior and Lord.
This parable came to mind recently on a significant birthday (my 60th), while I was in prayer. Reflecting over my life to this point, the Holy Spirit stirred my heart to thank God for 3 things: His PATIENCE in my past, His PERSISTENT love over a lifetime and his healing POWER then and now.
The details are different, but my story is like that of the Prodigal Son in some ways. Having learned about Jesus in my childhood through regular church attendance and training by my parents at home, I had wandered away from church attendance or even seeking a real faith during the college years. Intellectual pursuits, self-reliance, busyness along with some poor social choices had left me feeling empty. It was in law school (when a classmate invited me to Church) that I began a personal faith journey, seeking to discover whether the faith I’d learned about in childhood was true (or not). I guess I needed ‘evidence’ for faith. Who knows, maybe it was my legal training? I sought to know God through His Word, His Church and through prayer. It took a long while (several years actually) along with consistent study of God’s Word, but eventually, I found, like the Prodigal Son, that Jesus Christ was waiting with open arms to welcome me ‘home’ to faith in Him. On that day, through faith, heaven became my eternal home (salvation) and it began my healing journey with Jesus in this life (sanctification). That was many years ago and I’ve never looked back.
How about you? I can tell you from personal experience (and I have God’s Word on it), that
His love for you is PATIENT, it is PERSISTENT, and it is POWERFUL.
if you bring your PAIN, your PAST and your PROBLEMS to Jesus (in prayer), and seek to know Him, there is:
NO PAIN of a hurting heart that He will not heal
NO PAST that He won’t redeem
NO PROBLEM that He won’t help you solve
Maybe today is the day for YOU to turn and head for ‘home’ to a personal faith in Jesus Christ? He’s waiting with open arms and is as close as a simple, heartfelt prayer.
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** Important Note: The Father in Jesus’ ‘Prodigal Son’ parable, did NOT chase his son, OR further financially enable his wasteful, sinful lifestyle. He simply waited (no doubt prayerfully) for the repentance and turning to come. In my view, the father had good boundaries and was not co-dependant with his son. (but that’s another story for another day) Had the young man (the ‘Prodigal’ son) not faced the consequences of his own actions, he may never have begun making better choices. In short, he needed to hit ROCK BOTTOM! The same goes for us (and the loved ones we are praying for). God patiently waits for us (and them) to turn to Him. With His help, we can too.
