Prodigal Son’s Story Is So Much Like Our Own

The story of the prodigal son parallels my own story closer than anything I could have written myself.

Except that it was told over 2,000 years ago — by Jesus.

The prodigal son took his inheritance from his father and “wasted his substance with riotous living” (Luke 15:13).

When everything was gone, he was left “longing to be fed with the pods that the pigs ate, and no one gave him anything” (vs 16).

He came to himself when he realized, “My father’s hired servants have more than enough bread, but I perish here with hunger!” (vs 17).

Then the prodigal son humbled his heart and returned to his father — who had been watching and waiting for him the entire time.

The moment of reconciliation related by Jesus, stirs my soul: “While he was still a long way off, his father saw him and felt compassion, and ran and embraced him and kissed him” (vs 20).

Then the son said to his father, “Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son” (vs 21).

The Father knew his son was desperately repentant, and this was cause for great celebration.

His story is so much like mine.

Related:God Has Been Waiting All Our Lives for Us to Follow Him

When I was born again and adopted into God’s royal family, He gave me a place in His house.

Yet I foolishly left Him — and wasted over 20 years of the life and the talents God had given me searching for satisfaction in the shiny promises of the world.

Finally, I found myself among the misery of the dry, empty husks of the world. And God reminded me of all His goodness.

How I longed for His incomparable love! He’d been waiting for me.

When I turned away from the world and returned to Him, it was like coming home.

Our heart is the battlefield: It’s where our deepest desires are formed, and we either long for God — or we run from Him.

Oh, how God’s mercy, love, and kindness astonishes my soul.

His love is truly better than life.

“O God, thou art my God; early will I seek thee: my soul thirsteth for thee, my flesh longeth for thee in a dry and thirsty land, where no water is; To see thy power and thy glory, so as I have seen thee in the sanctuary. Because thy lovingkindness is better than life, my lips shall praise thee” (Psalms‬ ‭63:1-3‬).