Lessons from the Prodigal Part 2

"I will arise and go to my father and will say, 'Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you."  v18                                                             Luke 15:11-32   NKJV

The Prodigal had hit rock bottom. Nothing he did was right and he was penniless, broken, miserable and unloved. It's at times like this when we realise that we've done things wrong and we don't know what to do to put things right. The answer is staring us in the face - prayer - but sometimes it's the last resort because we don't want to admit that we got it wrong.

The Prodigal realised he had got it wrong and was fed up eating pig food. He was lonely and hungry and that day he made probably the wisest choice that he had ever made - he would return to his father, repent and ask him if he would allow him to be one of his servants. 

Admitting we got it wrong can be difficult. We have to face all of the, 'I told you so's' and 'If you had only listened, but no, you know best.' We have to humble ourselves; get rid of the pride and be ready to take all of the ridicule on the chin. It's not easy but it can be life-changing.

Elton John wrote a song entitled, 'Sorry, seems to be the hardest word,' and it's so true. It takes grit to admit when you're in the wrong. Married couples can struggle in this area quite a lot. One partner may be quick to admit they were wrong and say they are sorry. The other partner may not be so willing to give in for hours or possibly weeks, inwardly fuming until they calm down and accept the apology. The 'sorry' word seems to stick in our mouths.

When we accept someone's apology, we set two people free - the person and yourself. We daily ask God to forgive us for the wrongs we have committed and expect Him to forgive us. But why should He if we are holding a grudge against someone and won't forgive them. (Mark 11:25-26)

Perhaps things are not going well in your life at the moment. Do you think that you need to go to someone and say you're sorry or, 'I forgive you?' Until you do, things won't change. We have to come to the Father first, He will then do the rest. Until then, there is an impasse; things are going nowhere.

As we shall see tomorrow, things certainly began to improve for the Prodigal as soon as he returned home to his father and apologised. You know they'll change for the better for you as well!

Copyright 2020 Grahame Howard

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