THE PRODIGAL SON

Ashley wanted me to post more often, but again i have nothing pressing to wirte, so this is a devotional i wrote in highschool. 

Word Count: 400

Writing: Basics and Beyond

April 27, 2010

"Jesus went on to say, “There was once a man who had two sons. The younger one said to him, ‘Father, give me my share of the property now.’ So the man divided his property between his two sons. After a few days the younger son sold his part of the property and left home with the money. He went to a country far away, where he wasted his money in reckless living. He spent everything he had. Then a severe famine spread over that country, and he was left without a thing. So he went to work for one of the citizens of that country, who sent him out to his farm to take care of the pigs. He wished he could fill himself with the bean pods the pigs ate, but no one gave him anything to eat. At last he came to his senses and said, ‘All my father’s hired workers have more than they can eat, and here I am about to starve! I will get up and go to my father and say, Father, I have sinned against God and against you. I am no longer fit to be called your son; treat me as one of your hired workers.’ So he got up and started back to his father. “He was still a long way from home when his father saw him; his heart was filled with pity, and he ran, threw his arms round his son, and kissed him. ‘Father,’ the son said, ‘I have sinned against God and against you. I am no longer fit to be called your son.’ But the father called his servants. ‘Hurry!’ he said. ‘Bring the best robe and put it on him. Put a ring on his finger and shoes on his feet. Then go and get the prize calf and kill it, and let us celebrate with a feast! For this son of mine was dead, but now he is alive; he was lost, but now he has been found.’ And so the feasting began." (Luke 15:11-24, GNT)

When I was younger I tried to obey my parents, do what was moral, and go to church.  I grew up in a religious family in which almost everybody but me already knew God; in fact my grandpa, uncle, and brother were all preachers, but I didn’t know God for myself.

At thirteen, I came to the realization that I didn’t deserve to be God’s child.  He had given me life and I had wasted it in “reckless living.”   In many ways I was like the prodigal son in the story that Jesus told.

In today’s Scripture the prodigal son took his inheritance and wasted it.  When he became hungry, he realized that even his father’s servants were better off than he was.  He decided to go back to his father and see if he would hire him.  The father had been missing his son because he loved him so much. When he saw someone walking down the road he immediately knew it was his long lost son.  He got up, ran out the door, down the driveway, and met his son in the road with a hug and a kiss.  He didn’t care that his son had wasted half of his property.  Ignoring his son’s speech about being his servant, the father called to have the best steaks prepared, because they were going to have a party. 

As I sat there in church with the realization that even the servants of God were better off than me, I prayed.  As I prayed, God heard me and ran out to meet me with arms outstretched.  I begged him just to let me be his servant because I knew it was too much to ask to be his son, but He didn’t care what I had done.  He forgave me.  Now he is in Heaven preparing a feast for me.

I pray that everyone has had a similar experience and is going to that feast that God is preparing for us, but if any of you haven’t I pray you will.  When God draws you and lets you know you are separated from Him, you will have a terrible feeling of dread, and all you can do is pray.  When God is satisfied, He will replace that dreadful feeling with assurance and peace.  It’s between you and God, nobody but Him can tell you weather you are His child or not.

Dear God, thank You for saving me and making me Your child.  Please help those who don’t know You realize that without You they are nothing, and that You love them and want what’s best for them.  Draw them to You and save them.  Thank You again. Amen