My Prodigal - Chapter 9

              My Prodigal

     

 We have been praying for about (2) months now and a lot of what is being prayed about illnesses, prodigals, the country’s moral decay, darkness in our communities and family / workplace issues.

Many of us know this story very well because that was us. For some of us we have been the “father” in this story and for others we may have been “the son.” One thing for certain, Prodigals come in many forms, it can be our wives, our husbands, our children, loved ones or backsliders.

Let’s read and review the Parable of the Prodigal Son together and break it down accordingly.

Luke 15:11-16

Then He (Jesus) said: “A certain man had two sons. And the younger of them said to his father, ‘Father, give me the portion of goods that falls to me.’ So he divided to them his livelihood. And not many days after, the younger son gathered together all, journeyed to a far off country, and there wasted his possessions with prodigal living. 

But when he had spent all, there arose a severe famine in that land, and he began to be in want. Then he went and joined himself to a citizen of that country, and he sent him into his fields to feed swine. And the young man would gladly have filled his stomach with the pods that the swine ate, and no one gave him anything.

Breakdown

The son has decided to leave the protection, the covering and the safety of his father’s house. He is also leaving behind his family and familiar surroundings to go elsewhere.

We aren’t given reasons as to why or how this decision was reached, but the young man now wants to go out on his own. What has influenced this young man? Was he unhappy? What lies was he listening to? What temptations or lusts where knocking on his heart? The bible doesn’t specify but we can fill in our own blanks.

So the son goes away to a far off country. Let’s say that he is going from the Light that he shared at home and heading out into the Darkness which is the world, where things will be different and unknown. Let’s note that the young man is not afraid as would be the norm. His desires are taking him into a strange place far away from where anyone would know him.

Next, we find out that all of his possession have been wasted. I love how the Bible uses the word “wasted.” The son did not profit from his inheritance, did not invest it to become profitable, did not use it for good, he only wasted it on prodigal living.

In short, he spent his blessing recklessly not thinking about anything other than his desires. This is such a true fact. When we follow after the wrong desires of our heart, we are wasting precious time, our precious bodies, our energy, and in this case wealth. 

Oh how I love the scripture Jeremiah 17:9 because indeed it is true.

            “The heart is deceitful above all things, 

              and desperately wicked: who can know it? 

Everything that this young man held dear, was gradually thrown away in useless and unprofitable ways. His decision of the poor use of his possessions will now catch up to him, as we can find out if we continue to read this parable by Jesus.

The point in this writing is:

Our prodigals need our prayers desperately. They are lost and hurting. They seem to think that they are happy and enjoying life, when the truth is this: “There is so much more for them if they would only allow themselves to surrender their wasteful living.”

Let us not grow weary of waiting for their return. Do not give up on them. Just stay focused on praying for them and waiting on the Lord. Be strong and of good courage as you take them to God in prayer.

God hears the voices of your prayer, Psalm 66:19

“Certainly God has heard me, and has attended to the voice of my prayer”

One day soon, you will be the father of this story and you will see from far off your prodigal returning.

All for the Glory of God