Take me back
I love the story of the prodigal son in Luke 15. The one son wastes his inheritance, messes up his life and finds himself feeding pigs. Worse yet, he is even joining the pigs for dinner. Finally he has had enough and decides to head back home, to ask his father to be a servant. Because even his father’s servants were living better than he was. The story concludes with the son walking down the dusty lane and sees his father running towards him, welcoming him back to the family.
Ministry isn’t always full of glamourous stories. There are times when the life seems to be sucked out you. A few days ago I was startled to find out that one of my friends had fallen back to his old lifestyle. Individuals searched the city until he was found. As I was sitting beside him, he cried out, “pastor, do you think God will take me back?” It was a joy to walk beside him that night as I shared the story of the prodigal son and how God would gladly welcome him back home. We wept together and prayed together.
I can never thank God enough for taking me back.
There is a great story, not sure if it is true, about a Chineese Christian’s painting of the return of the prodigal son. It shows the father running down the road wearing 2 different shoes. The artist explained this saying the father was so happy to see his son come home, he didn’t pay attention to what shoes he was wearing. His only thought was to meet his son.
To think God only wants us to start down the “road home’ and He will run to meetus just blows me away. There is a Thomas Merton quote ” Lord you have a wild and crazy sheep that loves the briars and the brambles. Please don’t ever get tired of finding me.”
We do serve an awsome God!
Great story and a great quote. Do you remember where the Merton quote came from?
Are you speaking of Mr. See?? If you are that is great. I wanted to get in contact with you about him. His sister had called his ex wife who is with my uncle now. He told me and the first person I thought of was you! He likes you and comes to you. I knew you could talk to him and help him come back. If not him then I am glad you helped yet another person and I pray that Mr. See will see god and come back as well.