How many times in our lives when children leave home have we made the statement, “Call home?”  Many, many times I am quite sure.

We read in God’s Word about one son that was in a hurry to receive his inheritance from his father and go out to mix it up with the world.  His father granted his request and he received his inheritance.

“And He said,  A certain man had two sons:  And the younger of them said to his father, Father, give me the portion of goods that falleth to me.  And he divided unto them his living.”    Luke 15:11-12

We then find the young man took that inheritance and went into a “far country” and for a time I’m sure he thought it was fun, for that is how the “far country” sinful world is.  Good times, and fair weather friends, but the friends were no where to be found when the young man began to be in want.  I am sure that his father back home wanted to hear from his younger son.  Wondering how he was faring in his new found freedom.

“And not many days after the younger son gathered all together, and took his journey into a far country, and there wasted his substance with riotous living.  And when he had spent all, there arose a mighty famine in that land;  and he began to be in want.”        Luke 15:13-14

The young man made the decision early on to ask his father for his inheritance, and thought no farther than the immediate gratification of his desires.  He squandered all of his inheritance in “riotous” living, meaning an “extravagant and dissolute” lifestyle.  His father did not go after him when he left for that “far country, and the father’s heart surely must have broken for what his son was about to do, but he did not follow nor beg him to stay.  Our Father in heaven feels the same when we leave His Guidance, protection, and through our own self will, leave His side, His counsel to squander our lives in that “far country.”

The younger son, because of his want, had to find work in order to feed himself, take care of himself, and throughout all of his ” one step below rock bottom” situation that he was in,  no one cared for him, loved him or was the least bit concerned for him.  No man gave him anything.

“And he went and joined himself to a citizen of that country;  and he sent him into his fields to feed swine.  And he would fain have filled his belly with the husks that the swine did eat:  and no man gave unto him.”      Luke 15:15-16

The younger son was in a hurry.  ….and are we not the same as the prodigal son at various times in our lives.  Just as the young man wanted his inheritance now, we too want what the world has to offer now. The world has many enticements, glittering allurements to distract us, entertain us, but in the end they are bags filled with holes. The only successful and happy life is lived for Him.

“Ye have sown much, and bring in little;  ye eat, but ye have not enough;  ye drink, but ye are not filled with drink;  ye clothe you, but there is none warm;  and he that earneth wages earneth wages to put it into a bag with holes.”    Haggai 1:6

“Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter:  Fear God, and keep His commandments: for this is the whole duty of man.”    Ecclesiastes 12:14

The prodigal son then comes to himself in time, humbles himself, and was willing to be a hired servant of his father.  ..and this is what our Father in heaven wants us to do when we become unfaithful to Him.  To come to ourselves, repent and return to His fold.  A far, far better place to be with our Father who cares for us, just as the earthly father of his son.

“And when he came to himself, he said, How many hired servants of my father’s have bread enough and to spare, and I perish with hunger?  I will arise and go to my father, and will say unto him, father, I have sinned against heaven, and before thee,  And am no more worthy to be called thy son:  make me as one of thy hired servants.”    Luke 15:17-19

What a change in attitude this prodigal son had when he came to himself, humbled himself, and was willing to be called a hired servant.  I will write of the father’s and the older son’s attitudes in the next article, for the father had a gracious attitude, but the older son had a heart problem.

“Packed my soul in an old suitcase the day I left the farm.  I’ll never forget my mama’s eyes as she held me in her arms.  Daddy stood there strong and silent.  It’s always been his way.  …but his love sure came through loud and clear as I heard my daddy say.  “Son, don’t forget to call home.  Just to let us know you are safe and sound.  When the cold wind starts blowin’, if you need anything at all, just call home.” 

Eileen Light