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The story of Luke 15 is about a boy who lived on a farm. His father was a successful farmer. He had a big farm and had many hired servants and two sons. The problem was that one of his sons did not like it on the farm. The day came when he told his father, "I want to leave home, and I want my inheritance right now!"
After the father, with a broken heart, gave him the money. The boy left home and began to have good times. He squandered his wealth in wild living.
His fun was short-lived for he found himself in a desperate situation. He had a hard time finding a job. One day he stumbled unto a farmyard and got a job feeding pigs. For a Jew that was about as low as you could get.
This young man had sunk so low that he probably smelled like a pig, and looked as dirty as a pig.
This is a warning to all boys and girls that sin will ruin a person and the damage of sin will leave its mark on your life. It is my prayer and the prayer of most parents that you will not have to learn the hard way.
In this story, the father's prayer was answered; "The boy came to his senses, and said, "How many of my father's hired men have food to spare, and here I am starving to death? I will set out and go back to my father and say to him, 'Father, I am no longer worthy to be called your son. Make me like one of your hired men.'"
But when he was still a long way off, his father saw him, and was filled with compassion for him; he ran to his son, threw his arms around him and kissed him. "For this son of mine was dead and is alive again. He was lost and is found. So they began to celebrate."
This is a picture of God, waiting for you with His arms open wide, saying, "I love you. Come back where you belong." He doesn't only forgive you, he makes you His son or daughter by adoption.
The Lord is waiting for you to call on him. He wants to lift you out of the slimy pit, out of the mud and the mire; He will set your feet on a rock and give you a firm place to stand. He will put a new song in your mouth, a hymn of praise to our God. Psalm 40:2-3.
Frank Eidse
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