A lesson from the Prodigal

Have you ever had one of those days where you just felt and seemed nasty and just plain dirty, not from working outside or from physically dirty, but spiritually? If you could transfer the way you felt on the inside to the outside you would look like you lived with pigs. Nasty, smelly, and just plain unapproachable. Think about it, you feel like if anyone could see what you felt or seen in yourself, no one would even dare to look your way until you passed them by and don't even talk about praying to God, because why would he even talk to someone so dirty with sin and unrighteousness living lifestyle even after you had made a confession to Christ, but that seems like something in the past.

There is a story in the bible that we all maybe able to identify with and it is Luke 15. You know the story of the prodigal son, the one of the two brothers and one receives his inheritance early and blows it all and ends up broke and homeless? He ended up working for a pig farmer that would not even feed him. (Well maybe he was not just a pig farmer, but because he was not from that country he gave him the worst job he had). He went back home nasty and filled with pig slop and poo on his clothes and maybe in his hair and beard. His father seen him and the scripture as Jesus told the story, he fell on his son and kissed him and asked for a change of clothes, the family ring, a calf for celebration, and a huge party for his son who has returned.

See, the story goes a lot with our own story in life. See the devil is in another country that is filled with famine and just as with the prodigal son, he will give you the worst job there is because it will demoralize you and not feed you anything of worth. In other words the devil is not really giving you a pig slop job, but he is telling you how bad you are, how you don't belong to anyone, how no one will ever want to be around you, how you are not worth anything at all, and you are useless all so he can hold you down from who you really are.

But the story does not stop there. Jesus tells us in the Message version,  “When he was still a long way off, his father saw him. His heart pounding, he ran out, embraced him, and kissed him. The son started his speech: ‘Father, I’ve sinned against God, I’ve sinned before you; I don’t deserve to be called your son ever again.' But the father wasn’t listening. He was calling to the servants, ‘Quick. Bring a clean set of clothes and dress him. Put the family ring on his finger and sandals on his feet. Then get a grain-fed heifer and roast it. We’re going to feast! We’re going to have a wonderful time! My son is here—given up for dead and now alive! Given up for lost and now found!’ And they began to have a wonderful time."Luke 15:20-24 Did you read that one part that is highlighted and underlined? Picture yourself having just that glimpse of light or break in the clouds to know that God would at least hear your case or confession, but make you go through a huge spiritual scrub down, but instead he comes running to you and falls on you. He then surprises you with a loving kiss on your pig slopped face that has mud, poo, and all kinds of dirt on it, but doesn't care. He then gives the word to remove those dirty tattered clothes you are wearing because they are not fit for you, for you deserve so much more and cleans you up and clothes you in a rich white robe. 

See, God was never in a place where he forgot about you while you were away. He had always been looking out for you, for that one day of your return. He will not spot you when you walk up on the porch, but he is looking out for you as far as the eye can see. You don't have to stop at the creek and clean up first. Go home, he is waiting on you and your story needs to be written so it can be told.