PLEASE READ THIS FIRST: Luke 15:11-24
What do you sense the Lord saying to you in this passage?
“When he came to his senses, he said, ‘I will go back to my father…’” (Luke 15:17-18)
Jesus often used the word ‘repent’ when he spoke to people.
The original word ‘repent’ means to reconsider and change your direction.
Like someone in an abusive relationship finally deciding to leave.
In this parable this young man comes to his senses… rethinks, repents!
He wakes up, it dawns on him that his life does not make sense the way it is.
His mind considers his situation, and he sees how lost he is.
As I read this with Jesus, I wonder if I need to come to my senses somehow?
Without condemning me, Jesus is asking me to reflect on my own relationship with him.
Are there ways where I am keeping a distance from him, and going my own way.
Jesus loves me, forgives me and welcomes me like the father welcomes the son.
But if I show signs of slipping away again, he will gently speak to me.
He will plead with me with compassion because he wants to save me from a pig’s life.
He won’t refuse me to leave, and he won’t slam the door after I leave.
Jesus is eager for us to come to our senses, and always ready to welcome us home.
PRAYER
Lord, thank you for not condemning me, and thank you for helping me to come to my senses. Show me how I can make better choices, and to aim for better than a pig’s life.
“He longed to fill his stomach” – The son was hungry. I need to be hungry sometime – to remind myself – and help me come to my senses as to who I really am. I need my heavenly Father to love me and to care for me. I have to realize that and it sometimes means I need to be hungry so that I come to my senses – like the son in the parable. There are ‘hungry’ times in my life that God used to help me come to my senses. Now I try to be there when others are also experiencing challenging times – especially with cancer, terminal illness, devastating news – I help me to have the loving arms of Father who is hungry for his son to come home!
My God is an awesome God.
God forgives while many of His people are unforgiving. God rejoices over all who return to Him from their wandering ways. As You have taught us Lord in Your prayer, I too need to be forgiven and I also need to forgive others. Help me daily to walk in Your Way.
Come, Thou Fount of every blessing,
Tune my heart to sing Thy grace;
Streams of mercy, never ceasing,
Call for songs of loudest praise.
Jesus sought me when a stranger,
Wand’ring from the face of God;
He, to save my soul from danger,
Interposed His precious blood.
2
O to grace how great a debtor
Daily I’m constrained to be!
Let that grace, Lord, like a fetter,
Bind my wand’ring heart to Thee.
Teach me, Lord, some rapturous measure,
Meet for me Thy grace to prove,
While I sing the countless treasure
Of my God’s unchanging love.
3
Prone to wander, Lord, I feel it;
Prone to leave the God I love:
Take my heart, oh, take and seal it
With Thy Spirit from above.
Rescued thus from sin and danger,
Purchased by the Savior’s blood,
May I walk on earth a stranger,
As a son and heir of God.