Luke 15:11-32, I will not type the whole passage, but the synopsis is the story of the prodigal son.
Several months ago, the Holy Spirit had me read this passage at the beginning of a trial period in my faith. At that time, I was shown something that would get me through the trial. It did, praise the Lord, along with other scripture texts. The trial was directed at my faith, and the Adversary used the, “has God said” tactic he so clearly overuses. Hey, it worked on Eve. By the middle of June, I was shown that my loving Savior was carrying me through the trial. I’ve always loved the poem “Footprints” but never expected to be in the poem. One finds they love their Savior all the more when shown that aspect of him.
Onto the topic… once the trial was completed, I reread many of the passages I read at the beginning. Lo and behold the Holy Spirit showed me something new between the lines! Amen!
In verses 13 and 14 we read that the younger son, “squandered his property” and “had spent everything” on reckless living, i.e.: he spent it on pleasure and partying, or things the world dupes’ people into believing will bring joy. But notice verses 22 and 23 where the father replaces all the things his younger son had wasted.
R #1: Replaced.
I myself was that younger son. I chose to spend all I had spiritually accumulated on the things that the world duped me into. Yes, I knew it would never bring me true joy, yet I vexed myself daily in striving to attain what I could never achieve alone. It is only through God’s mercy and compassion that he is giving me another chance to replace what I lost. I truly do NOT want to get to Heaven empty handed! Through his grace, it will not happen.
Second, in verse 15 we look at how the younger son, “went and hired himself out to one of the citizens of that country.” Oh, the numerous times that I did that! It sickens me! James 4:4 says, “Do you not know that friendship with the world is enmity with God?” I clearly CHOSE to hook-up with the world thus placing myself in the bull’s-eye of God’s Brillo pad (Hebrews 12:6).
R #2: Rejoined.
Verse 27 tells of the joy when a lost sheep is rejoined safe and sound into the fellowship of the Believers. I praise the Lord for the scourging, purging, rinsing and repeating until he decided I was fit for use. I am by no means finished but from now until death visits me, my Lord is showing me it is better, “be a doorkeeper in the house of my God than dwell in the tents of wickedness.” Amen!
Lastly, verse 17 tells how he caught a glimpse of himself in a mirror, “when he came to himself.” He finally saw how dirty and filthy he had become. For me it was realizing my hand had been caught in the proverbial cookie jar. It wasn’t just on the outside but also on the inside. This caused him/me to seriously exam his/my heart and see that his/my only hope was truly in returning to the Father.
R #3 is Regenerated.
Verse 32 proclaims how the father lifted up his voice in praise as his son, “was dead, and is alive; he was lost, and is found.” July 26, 2010, is the date that the Holy Spirit opened my eyes to the fact that I was truly converted. Not just outwardly as a show to men but inwardly to my Heavenly Father. Of course I had to travel through the trial, endure hardship as a good soldier, and yield to my Father’s will to find this out. My sole purpose on this earth is to carry out God’s plan for this life that HE designed long before I was in my mother’s womb (Jeremiah 5:5). ALL GLORY GOES TO GOD!
One thing I must mention: if you are a Believer and still in the hog pen of this world, PLEASE come back before it’s too late! Not only does your Heavenly Father desire the fellowship you both once had, but your brothers and sisters-in-the-Lord have been praying that you return. Several were praying for me. We will not debate the attitude of the elder brother in the passage, but verse 26 says that a servant told him what the commotion was about! As a child of God, we are all servants. Please don’t let time run out! Yield to the chastening of the Holy Spirit!
Grace and peace, James
*Scripture from ESV, Crossway Publishers, 2001
*Picture courtesy of Freepik
*Brillo is a registered trademark for Amaly Brands