Word for Today.....The High Cost of Low Living
Scripture: And when he had spent all, there arose a mighty famine in that land; and he began to be in want. Luke 15:14
And he began to be in want.
Here we find the parable of the prodigal son. It is here in this story that Jesus shows us the love the Father has towards us. However, instead of looking at the return, let's deal with the background of the younger son and what happened while he was away from the Father's house.
The story begins with a man who had two sons and the younger son came to his father and asked to receive his inheritance. Now during this time, it wasn't customary for the son (or any heir) to receive their inheritance before the father died. But the father grants the younger son's request and gives BOTH of the sons what they have been promised. One thing that I noticed was that although the younger son was the requestor of the inheritance, the older son also took his portion of the inheritance as well. The Bible says that after a FEW days, the younger son left home and went into a far country. Now he didn't immediately leave with his stuff and to honest, I really don't believe that he asked for his inheritance in order to leave; but anytime you are disobedient and outside of the Will of God in one area, the devil will always try to get you to be disobedient in another area. Now the very moment that he had spent all of the money was when a great famine came. Could it be that God set this whole thing up to let the son see the error of his ways? Could it be that God waited until his last dollar was spent on women, his last dollar was spent on alcohol or drugs to send a famine? I believe that God allows us to make our own decisions; however, what we must realize is that although we have the ability to decide, there will always be consequences for whatever decisions we make especially if our decisions don't line up with the Word of God.
The undisciplined life of the younger son quickly resulted in waste, extravagance and sinful living – LOW LIVING! So the Bible says that after his money was gone (and apparently those who claimed to his friends), that he joined himself with a citizen of this foreign country. This citizen sent him to the pig pen to feed the swine, which was a detestable occupation to the Jews. This son left the comforts and security of the Father's house for the pig pen. When he left home, I'm sure he had no idea that his decisions would lead him to the pig pen. I'm sure that while he was partying and living it up, he didn't know that the pig pen was up the road for him. The devil didn't tell him that while he was laughing, playing with sin and the devil, that he would end up in the pig pen starving, trying to decide whether to share a meal with the pigs or not. It is the same with us. The devil doesn't tell you that the man you stole from your best friend will also be stolen from you. He doesn't tell you that the drugs that you just wanted to try once would become your greatest addiction. We MUST remember that the devil doesn't play fair. The Bible says (and we should constantly be reminded), that the devil comes to steal, kill and to destroy us. It is his purpose. It is his goal and it is what he does.But the son came to himself and made a decision that turned him homeward. A good decision is the beginning of a better life and the ultimate restoration of this prodigal son. It isn’t enough to think about doing what is right, but turning completely to the Father is the fullness of restoration. He made a decision that even if he had to be a servant and no longer a son, he wanted a second chance. There is something about a person who has been given a second chance. Second chances seldom come and I believe they are never by chance. If you are given a second chance, no one has to tell you to raise you hands to glorify God. If you have been given a second chance, no one has to tell you witness to a sinner, you automatically want to tell of God’s mercy and grace because you could’ve been, should've been and would've been cut off if it were not for God’s mercy which kept you and gave you a second chance. Second chance people witness to the Word --- no one has to tell them to "Amen". Second chance people are the first to admit when they have slipped because they are striving for holiness. Second chance people seek God’s heart and not His hand because what would it profit a man to gain the whole world and lose his soul.
God is a God of second (third, fourth and so on) chances and though we sometimes get ourselves in low situations we still have a Father who is waiting with open arms to receive us again.
Be Blessed!!!
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