The Parable of the Lost Son teaches us we have freedom of choice but not freedom from consequences. A young man went to his father and made a demand. Luke 15:12 says And the younger of them said to his father, Father, give me the portion of good that falls to me. So he divided to them his livelihood. Of course, the Father is representative of God. The younger brother represents rebellious humanity.
Like the younger brother, when we choose to do things on our terms rather than God’s terms, it doesn’t end well for us. Luke 15:14-16 says 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 the swine. And he would have gladly filled his stomach with the pods that the swine ate, and no one gave him anything. The lost son also known as the prodigal (wasteful) son realized quickly, it doesn’t take long to end up in a place we do not want to be when we don’t appreciate & nurture our blessings from God. When this happens, we will end up both spiritually & physically deficient.
God desires us to return to Him and the younger brother knew he could return to his Father. Luke 15:18 says I will arise and go to my father and will say to him, Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you and I am no longer worthy to be called your son. Make me like one of your hired servants. And he arose and came to his father. But when he was still a great way off, his father saw him and had compassion, and ran and fell on his neck and kissed him. Once the child came to himself, he knew he must return on his Father’s terms and not his.
Leaving God puts us into a “far country,” life estranged from the Lord is a waste, hardships may result because of sin, suffering can produce repentance and God wants us to return. Let’s make sure we are always moving to God!
