Come Home

11 Jesus continued: “There was a man who had two sons. 12 The younger one said to his father, ‘Father, give me my share of the estate.’ So he divided his property between them.

13 “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. 14 After he had spent everything, there was a severe famine in that whole country, and he began to be in need. 15 So he went and hired himself out to a citizen of that country, who sent him to his fields to feed pigs. 16 He longed to fill his stomach with the pods that the pigs were eating, but no one gave him anything.

17 “When he came to his senses, he said, ‘How many of my father’s hired servants have food to spare, and here I am starving to death! 18 I will set out and go back to my father and say to him: Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you. 19 I am no longer worthy to be called your son; make me like one of your hired servants.’ 20 So he got up and went to his father.

“But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and was filled with compassion for him; he ran to his son, threw his arms around him and kissed him.

21 “The son said to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son.’

22 “But the father said to his servants, ‘Quick! Bring the best robe and put it on him. Put a ring on his finger and sandals on his feet. 23 Bring the fattened calf and kill it. Let’s have a feast and celebrate. 24 For this son of mine was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.’ So they began to celebrate.

Luke 15:11-32 NIV

In Luke 15 Jesus tells us the story of the Prodigal Son. The younger son in this story thought he was being held back. There had to be more fun, more adventure, more of everything outside of his father's boundaries. He might have felt that it's not fair to have to follow all those rules and not to be free to do what you want. So, he asked for his inheritance, and he moved out. He soon discovered that the life of freedom that he longed for wasn't all it was cracked up to be. He was used for his money, abused, and left eating out of a hog's feeding trough. All of sudden Dad's boundaries and rules looked pretty good. Maybe, just maybe, his father would hire him as a servant, and he would have food and shelter if nothing else. He couldn't ask for anything more. After all he had screwed up royally. He gathers up what's left of his belongings and nervously heads home. Meanwhile, his father looks out his window and sees him approaching. He runs out the front door and meets him in the driveway. He hugs and kisses him and throws him a welcome home party. All is forgiven.

I think we all have been the prodigal. Why go to church? Why follow all of God's rules. He's keeping us from having fun. Freedom is found in doing whatever I want without consequences. We can see where that has gotten us in the world. When we walk away from church, from Christ to live the way we want , too often we eventually find ourselves in places where we don't want to be, whether it be physically, mentally, or spiritually. We debate within ourselves about coming home. The devil, of course pulls out all the stops to prevent this. He will tell you, "God's done with you?" Well, guess what? Jesus didn't tell the story of the Prodigal for nothing. Our heavenly Father is not done with you! He's waiting and watching from Heaven's window, waiting anxiously to see you come up the driveway. He's longing to run to you and wrap His arms around you and hug you and kiss you and welcome you home and yes, He wants to forgive you.

Don't delay. Come home today.