Prodigal

I am a lover of words. Lately this word, prodigal, keeps coming to mind.

Possibly the most well known use of this word is from the Bible in Jesus' story of the prodigal son. With my limited understanding I derived that prodigal meant one who went astray. The Merriam-Webster definition leans more towards wasteful, gluttonous or lavish. I decided to reread the story of the prodigal son but I began at the beginning of Luke 15. This is where Jesus tells the story of the lost sheep, the one who has strayed from the rest of the flock. So this is probably why I made the connection in my mind between prodigal and lost.

In a way we are all prodigal at some point in our lives; wasteful, excessive, straying. What is important for everyone to understand is that there is One who loves us regardless of our sins. Our sin is the reason He came in the first place-not to shun or condemn but to draw us back to Himself.

I have been significantly moved by recent events in my own family. I have seen prodigal children returning to the family fold. Christ is the Good Shepherd going out in search of these lambs. He has heard our prayers, our cries for reunification, and He has not forsaken us. We have longed for their return and wait not with words of chastisement but with open arms and rejoicing!

Friends share with me their joys and their tears. I rejoice with them for answered prayer and I pray for them in hardship. I encourage them to cry out to God for understanding, discernment, wisdom and peace. He is faithful to provide all our needs, not our wants. When I see friends living so far removed from Christ that they have trouble seeing His love I realize they can't see through their hurt and shame. He is right beside them waiting with robes of love and acceptance.

I have this picture in my mind. God is not looking at all of us and making a list of our sins. He is looking at us through His Son. First there are those who are unsaved. God sees them walking through life wrapped in darkness. He can see in but they can't see out. That is where those who have accepted Christ as their Savior come in. They are walking through life with a glow of love surrounding them. Sometimes that glow is dimmer when we take our relationship with Christ for granted but when we are putting "feet on our faith" the glow is so bright that it shines like a beacon in the night to lead the lost ones safely home.

We all have the potential to influence others. I am happy to have the glow of Christ's grace and I want it to shine through the darkness. I want my faith to be a beacon in the storm so others may see their way home where Christ is waiting to warm them with His robes of love, acceptance and grace.