United We Kneel September: Prodigals

       This month we voted that we should pray for the prodigals. It seems like there are so many now, more than ever! Or maybe I am just now learning to notice and pray for those families who are in like pain. It is undescribable the pain that you feel when you have been so close to another human being and without your knowledge you watch them reject everything you stand for and it literally feels like your heart is tearing in two. Guilty thoughts start running through your head like , “Maybe I wasn’t a good enough witness in my life to him/her”, “How could we have been so close and not sense what was really going on?”, “Could I have done something to stop him/her?”.  Living in the past is not an option for Believers, but learning from it certainly is.  Because of this situation with my brother, my family has grown closer and has leaned on each other more than ever.  The pain is lessening but is still very real and very close to our hearts.  It is extremely hard to watch him self-destruct his life and be wrapped up in the lies this world offers.  We can see that all of it is futility and will only come to death and destruction, but all he sees is the pleasure of the moment.  Is anyone else resonating with this?  So let’s get down on our knees and ask for their eyes and hearts to be opened to the truth of God’s Word and the lies they have been believing.  They are the only ones who can choose which path to take in life and no one can make them go the way they want.  The LORD has given us free choice to do what we want so let’s pray that these young men and women who have wandered astray would fall on their faces before Him and WANT to serve Him, because at the end of the day, we all do what we WANT! 

            The Story of the Prodigal Son as told in Luke 15:11-32

“And He said, ‘A man had two sons. The younger of them said to his father, ‘Father, give me the share of the estate that falls to me.’ So he divided his wealth between them. And not many days later, the younger son gathered everything together and went on a journey into a distant country, and there he squandered his estate with loose living. Now when he had spent everything, a severe famine occurred in that country, and he began to be impoverished. So he went and hired himself out to one of the citizens of that country, and he sent him to his fields to feed swine. And he would have gladly filled his stomach with the pods that the swine were eating, and no one was giving anything to him. But when he came to his senses, he said, ‘How many of my father’s hired men have more than enough bread, but I am dying here with hunger! I will get up and go to my father and will say to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and in your sight; I am no longer worthy to be called your son; make me as one of your hired men.’’ So he got up and came to his father.  But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and felt compassion for him, and he ran and embraced him and kissed him.  And the son said to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and in your sight; I am no longer worthy to be called your son.’ But the father said to his slaves, ‘Quickly, bring out the best robe and put it on him, and put a ring on his hand and sandals on his feet; and bring the fattened calf, kill it, and let us eat and celebrate; for this son of mine was dead and has come to life again; he was lost and has been found.’ And they began to celebrate.  Now his older son was in the field, and when he came and approached the house, he heard music and dancing. And he summoned one of the servants and began inquiring what these things could be. And he said to him, ‘Your brother has come, and your father has killed the fattened calf because he has received him back safe and sound.’ But he became angry and was not willing to go in; and his father came out and began pleading with him. But he answered and said, ‘Look! For so many years I have been serving you and I have never neglected a command of yours; and yet you have never given me a young goat, so that I might celebrate with my friends; but when this son of yours came, who has devoured your wealth with prostitutes, you killed the fattened calf for him.’ And he said to him, ‘Son, you have always been with me, and all that is mine is yours. But we had to celebrate and rejoice, for this brother of yours was dead and has begun to live, and was lost and has been found.’”

Prodigal- A person who has tasted the goodness of God yet turns away

Let us bring these prodigals before the LORD and ask for this year to be the year of the return of the prodigals!  Let us ask boldly before the Throne of grace that the desire of their hearts would turn from selfishness to wanting to please God.  Let’s ask big things of our BIG GOD!

Kneeling At His Feet,

Maiden Princess