We all start our Christian journey full of enthusiasm and wide-eyed wonder. We’re so excited by how Jesus has touched our lives. And we can’t wait to get to church and we are ready to talk to anyone about what Jesus has done for us. But then, someway, somehow, things begin to slowly change. Our enthusiasm turns into tolerance, our wonder turns in cynicism and before you know it, we’ve lost our way.
It can happen to any of us at anytime. Maybe the storms of life have left you beaten and tired. Maybe people in the church have offended or hurt you. Perhaps you sit and wonder how you got to be in this dry, lonely, cynical place.
My friend, you are not alone! The Bible tells a similar story. Have you ever had your parents say, “While you live under my roof, you’ll abide by my rules”? Well, this young man got tired of being under his father’s roof so he asked for his inheritance and left home for the hustle and bustle of the city. You can read the story in Luke 15.
To make a long story short, he squanders his money on gambling, prostitutes and wild parties. He’s left homeless and hungry and sneaks into a pig pen just to pick up some scraps of food. It suddenly dawns on him that even his father’s servants live better than this so he decides to go back home. He knows he has broken his father’s heart and he’s in a lot of trouble. He goes home to beg for forgiveness and asks to come back home as one of the servants.
Here’s what we learn from the story:
The father was waiting all along
The Bible says that the father looked out from the porch everyday to see if he could see his son. His father’s anger and disappointment was dwarfed in comparison to his love for his son.
The father restored him and then some
His father welcomed him back with open arms. In fact, he clothed with a beautiful robe, new sandals and put a ring on his finger. In addition, he ordered the biggest celebration ever. He was just happy that his beloved son had come home.
It’s the same with us and our walk with Jesus. If you’ve lost your way, Jesus is waiting with open arms to welcome you back. He wants to bless you and heal you and set your life up for success.
If you’ve wandered away from God, we would like to pray with you. Click on the link below or on the pop up. Welcome home.