Living Life As The Prodigal

Rotten. Foolish. Arrogant. Greedy. Insatiable. Raised with a silver spoon in his mouth. Arrogant. Crazy. A lot of thoughts that one would think about the son when reading the parable of the Prodigal Son in scripture. Raised with a loving father, The Prodigal Son is an illustration of the deep love God has for his backslidden, wayward children and the joy of The Father when one backslider returns back (home) to him.

"And the younger of them, said to his father, Father give me the portion of goods that falls to me. So he divided to them his livelihood. And not many days after, the younger son gathered all together, journeyed to a far country, and there wasted his possessions with prodigal living." I can only imagine the thoughts that ran through his father's mind as his son began to inquire of his inheritance, which was rightfully his. I'm sure like any other loving and concerned parent, he tried reasoning with his son. Pleading with him to reconsider his foolish decision to leave home, where he was well taken care of and safe. He had authority, respect, favor, wealth, and I'm sure any woman would've been honored to marry him.

The scripture tells us that after receiving his fair share of the inheritance, he gathered his belongings and headed out. Waving goodbye, with great anticipation to living his best life outside the home of his father, The Prodigal Son took off. If you're shaking your head at the second son, don't. I'm sure many of you know of someone who has backslidden or maybe you have experienced a backslidden state yourselves. It happens. Becoming a child of God you can have one of the most beautiful, blessed life ever - a thriving business, a fruitful womb, supportive spouse, dependable friends, health and strength, a life marked with favor, but yet and still some will jeopardize it all, become rebellious and stray from this abundant life that comes with being home with our Heavenly Father.

"But when he had spent all, there arose a severe famine in that land, and he began to be in want. Then he went and joined himself to a citizen of that country, and he sent him into his fields to feed swine. And he would gladly have filled his stomach with the pods that the swine ate, and no one gave him anything." (Luke 15:14) This scripture speaks volumes to me. When his son took off, the father didn't fall apart and say all hope was lost, no instead he got on his knees and pressed Heaven. He cried out to the Almighty God, the One that could do the unimaginable. He must've prayed scriptures such as "The seed of the righteous shall be delivered." (Proverbs 11:21) "Because I believed on the Lord Jesus Christ, I shall be saved me and my house." (Acts 16:31) The second son's life became really hard after a short while. After buying the finest wine night after night, hiring the latest for pleasure, soon his inheritance ran out, meaning the highlight reel of the greener grass outside of his fathers' house wore off. "For the drunkard and glutton will come to poverty" (Proverbs 23:21) What drew him away, began to lose its sting (wink). Now we can think that his luck ran out OR we can believe that God began to chasten the second son and make his way hard on purpose. Scripture reminds us that "He chastens those that he loves" (Hebrews 12:6) He began to lack severely and be in want. Time got so bad that he began to work. "....No one gave him anything." (Luke 15:14).

Then something happened ... "But when he came to himself" (Luke 15:17) Yes, by the grace of God, the Prodigal Son came to himself, meaning he began to see the shameful state he had fallen into. From being served every evening at a dinner table to dining with the filth of swine, he began to remember the good life he once had at his father's house. I'm sure he had begun to remember the relationships he had with his maidservants and brother. "And he rose and came to his father. But when he was still a great way off, his father saw him and had compassion, and ran and fell on his neck and kissed him." His father was in expectation of his son's return. And that's the exact way our Heavenly Father feels about us, his children, after we have rebelled, after we've walked away from a relationship with him, and have gone out to the World and flaunted our goodness, sharing our affections with it. When we decide to repent and return home, the Father welcomes us back with arms outstretched, showering us with His love. He tells us that our sins are thrown into the sea of "know no more." Unlike man, he won't even bring them back to your remembrance. He's just so overwhelmed with gladness that his child decided to come back home. The father and his house celebrated when the Prodigal Son returned home. He dressed him in a fine robe and sandals and gifted him with a ring (blessings). The earthly father, as hard as it was, as much as he cared for him, allowed his son to go after the thing that he was after - the world, knowing that he would return back home one day.

No matter who has strayed from the love of The Father, don't give up hope for them. Rather it's a Prodigal son, daughter, husband, wife, friend, mother, or father - never stop praying on their behalf that they will repent and return back to good standing with The Lord. For we know that God is "...married to the backslider." (Jeremiah 13:4)

Oh, you guys!! My Zoom Course, "To The Heart of The Father", kicked off last night and it went SO well. My mentees came hungry and I'm believing that they left fed and enlightened. For the last five years, I've only ministered through my blogging ministry, and now, that God has called me to teach face to face ... it was a bit of a stretch for me, however, God's grace. I taught on the origin of the relationship - with God and man in the Garden of Eden. And tonight, I'll be ministering the power of praise and worship, can't wait!! My Zoom Course registration for the month of September will be open SOON!

Jesus Is Just That Good,

Pamelia Walker