What steps can we take to return to God after straying like the prodigal? Setting the Stage: The Prodigal Leaves (Luke 15:13) “After a few days, the younger son got everything together and journeyed to a distant country, where he squandered his wealth in wild living.” The verse captures three realities every wanderer knows: distance from the Father, waste of blessing, and self-directed living. Scripture shows a clear path back. Step 1: Face the Reality of Wandering • Stop denying the drift; call sin what God calls it (Psalm 51:3–4). • Acknowledge personal responsibility—no blaming circumstances or others (Proverbs 28:13). • Admit that life apart from God brings emptiness, as the prodigal’s famine proved (Luke 15:14). Step 2: Remember the Father’s Heart • Recall how good life was in the Father’s house (Luke 15:17). • Meditate on His unchanging kindness: “The LORD is compassionate and gracious” (Psalm 103:8). • Let gratitude stir longing—kindness leads to repentance (Romans 2:4). Step 3: Repent—Change Your Mind and Direction • Decide to leave the “distant country” of sin (Acts 3:19). • Turn wholeheartedly: “Return, O Israel, to the LORD your God” (Hosea 14:1). • Accept God’s promise to respond: “Draw near to God, and He will draw near to you” (James 4:8). Step 4: Return and Confess • Come just as you are—no self-improvement plan first (Luke 15:20). • Confess specific sins: “If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive” (1 John 1:9). • Abandon excuses; own the wrong, like the son’s “I have sinned against heaven and against you” (Luke 15:21). Step 5: Receive the Father’s Embrace • Believe His forgiveness is complete: “He will abundantly pardon” (Isaiah 55:7). • Accept restored sonship—ring, robe, and sandals symbolize full acceptance (Luke 15:22). • Celebrate grace, not penance: the feast replaces the pigsty (Luke 15:23–24). Step 6: Renew Your Walk Daily • Feed on Scripture; truth fortifies against future drift (Psalm 119:11). • Pray consistently; relationship thrives in conversation (Philippians 4:6–7). • Fellowship with believers—the Father’s house is a family, not solitary (Hebrews 10:24–25). • Serve in gratitude; useful service keeps the heart close (Romans 12:1). • Rely on the Spirit: “Walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh” (Galatians 5:16). Encouraging Scriptures for the Journey Each step is God-enabled yet personally embraced. The Father still runs to meet every prodigal who turns home. |
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