Don't you think you've been away too long?

“But when he came to himself, he said, ‘How many of my father’s hired servants have bread enough and to spare, and I perish with hunger!  18I will arise and go to my father, and will say to him, “Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you,  19and I am no longer worthy to be called your son. Make me like one of your hired servants.” 

                                                                 Luke 15:17-19   NKJV

This young chap, claimed his inheritance from his father and left home. This is common all over the world, where young folk decide to leave the safety of their parents and leave to 'find themselves'. This chap was no different; he asked his father for his part of the inheritance and set off on a wild living adventure. He had not been used to this lifestyle and, because he had money, he made new friends quickly and lived it up for a season. That was, until the money ran out and he was left with no money and no friends. In fact, he was homeless, and had to eat pig-food to be able to exist.

You know, when you have money to spare, friends are easily found. Ask yourself, are they really a friend? Or are they after what they can get from you and when you have nothing left to give them, these 'friends' disappear? This is what happened to this young man. He was left with nothing.

It can be quite similar for people who have a Christian faith but, because of various things that have happened to them, they decide to give up on their faith and walk away from God. Now we can learn from this experience. if we walk away from God, He doesn't necessarily come running after us and persuade us to come home. But He stands and watches from afar v20. He wants us to learn from our mistakes and so leaves us to cope with what we have or haven't got. Then, through a series of events, when we realise that we can't manage alone and start to return to Him, He sees us and runs to meet us. He won't even ask why we left in the first place.

You may have given up on your faith, stopped reading your bible and left your church. Let me tell you something, God knows all about why you did this and, wants to help. However, He won't help, until you make your way back to Him. This doesn't mean going back to church; it means going back to Jesus. Ask yourself, 'Don't you think you've been away from God too long?'

If you can answer yes to this last question, then get up and head back home to your Father. He is watching and waiting and when He sees that you mean business, He will run towards His child and embrace you.

Go on, you've nothing to lose. Go back to Jesus!

If you would like to contact me email grahame.howard@hotmail.co.uk

Copyright 2025 Grahame Howard. 

If you don't know Jesus or, have fallen away, why not say this prayer right now
Lord Jesus, I have sinned. I ask you to forgive me and be my Lord and Saviour. Please come into my heart, fill me with Your Spirit and give me a brand new start today. In Jesus' Name. Amen.
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If you would like to contact me, grahame.howard@hotmail.co.uk

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