Never Too Lost
So, tell me about yourself. What do you do for a living? Where are you from? Do you have a family?
We've all been there, the getting acquainted stage of a work relationship, a friendship, or maybe even a dating relationship. That's when we put on our best face and tell all the good things that make us sound like we have life together.
But what if we don't? What if we're not proud of the path we've taken? Maybe we're estranged from our family, or in debt, or we've lost our job. What if we're in the middle of the hardest challenge of our life? What if addiction or depression have entered the picture? What if we really did give "the Jesus thing" a try, but it didn't seem to work for us the way it has for others?
And now we find ourselves … lost and broken.
This reminds me of the story in Luke 15, the parable of the prodigal son. This teenage boy decides that he's had enough of living with his family. He wants to take off, explore the world, and live! His dad decides to heed his son's wishes and gives him his inheritance. Can you imagine how fun this sounded for this young boy?
Well, spoiler alert: As Jim said, "He goes to a foreign country and squanders his inheritance in reckless living. He finds something shameful, harmful, and sinful that he couldn't do at home and takes it to a whole other level. He invented some new ways to sin." He does everything a young, foolish teen would do. He lives the best life he could imagine, but eventually, the money runs out.
At first, he is too prideful to call home and tries to make it on his own by working as a farmhand. Eventually, he comes to his senses and realizes that his dad's workers are living better than he is, so he decides to go home and ask his dad for a job.
Imagine having said, "Dad, I'm old enough to handle this on my own. I know how to make good choices," only to come back disheveled, smelling like pigs, and admitting you're broke.
I have heard many parents say things like, "I worked hard for my money, so you should too." Or, "You got yourself in this mess; now get yourself out." This young man understood that he had messed up. He reasoned that there was no harm in just asking his dad for a little more help to figure things out. Yet he also knew he deserved nothing. His dad didn't owe him a second chance.
But that's where the story takes an unexpected turn. His father wasn't angry! Nope, he hugs him and throws him a party. His lost son came back. The one who strayed has turned from his ways and is back with the family.
Are you that lost son (or daughter)? Have you sought identity in empty places, such as money, the approval of others, or thrill-seeking?
Are you sick of putting your identity in things that don't fulfill you?
If you are, then know this, you are made for more. Pause for a moment and stop looking in front of you. It's time to look up. It's time to say, I'm doing this wrong. I can't do this by myself.
God is calling you: "Come to me, all who are weary, and I will give you rest"( Matthew 11:28). God wants you to come to him exactly as you are. When you decide to take that step, He will run to you, embrace you, and all of heaven will shout for joy. And I have to say, I bet that is one awesome party.