The Prodigal Sons

 Luke 15:20 

"The son arose and went to his father. But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and felt compassion, and ran and embraced him and kissed him."

This story is about the prodigal son. He asked his father for his share of the inheritance early, before his father died. He went on a road trip, so to speak, and spent it all. Then he was broke, working in a pig pen, feeding pigs. He realized he was so hungry he wanted to eat what the pigs were eating. He decided to go back home and beg his dad to let him be a servant in his house. 

Instead of his father being mad at him, he came running to his son. He put a ring on his finger and an elegant robe over him. He threw a huge party for him. This story was meant to represent how God feels when we decide to leave the world and go back into his safe and tender care. We finally get tired of running away, doing things our own way. We come to our senses and realize we are way better off always staying close to God. 

I remember a road trip I went on to Vegas with my ex. We got in a fight, so I left early. I drove back by myself. I ran out of money and had to sleep in my car behind a Wal-Mart on a freezing cold night. I kept turning my car on to run the heater. I was waiting for Wal-Mart to open in the morning so I could get the money gram my mom sent for me. That was the lowest and saddest night of my entire life. I texted my boyfriend and said, "I will never leave your side ever again." I did actually, but it wasn't easy. 

That is what happens a lot with all of us. We drift away from God. We proudly set out on our own, thinking we will be ok. We think we can take care of ourselves just fine. Then we end up sleeping in a freezing car. Maybe we crash the car. We regret ever leaving God's side. Then we come running back and promise to never leave his side again. Most of us have had at least one time like that in our lives. 

Ironically the song playing now on my Y0uTube is "Happier." That was my theme song for one break up I went through. I was convinced I would be happier if I left one of my exes. It's hard to say if I was happier without him. My life became different. There were new challenges. It was out of the frying pan and into the fire, as the expression goes. We can easily think that the next lover will make us happy. Maybe our next car will. Maybe a bigger house. The reality is nothing will make you happy until you find your purpose in God. Augustine said, "Our hearts are restless until they rest in thee." We have no idea what we need or want. Only God can make us feel fulfilled.