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Stay where you are
'Live under the protection of God most high and stay in the shadow of God All-Powerful.' PSALM 91:1
Why would the prodigal son walk out on his dad when he already had everything he needed? Because:
1) He got used to the good stuff his dad did and took it for granted. That's why God told His people, 'Be careful that you do not forget the Lord, who brought you...out of...slavery' (Deuteronomy 6:12 NIV).
At one point God told His people to take 12 stones, one for each tribe and build a memorial. It might have looked like just a pile of stones but there was a reason it stood there year after year; to remind them of who they were, whom He was, and the promises that bound them together. What could YOU do to help you remember?
2) He didn't know what was 'out there.' The path that takes us away from God leads to pain, not gain. Ask those who've walked it. They'll say, 'don't go there'
3) He wanted his father's blessings but not his rules.
He didn't like his dad telling him what to do. Sound familiar? Jesus said: 'Why do you call me, "Lord"...and do not do what I say?' (Luke 6:46 NIV). Sometimes we can be so sure of what we want that we ditch God, determined that we know best. You can imagine the prodigal son, storming out of his dad's house saying, 'I'll show you, you just wait and see.' Then we mess up and have to find the guts to fess up. One of the hardest places to be is knowing you were wrong. The Bible says the prodigal 'came to his senses' and knew he should head home; do you?
written by Bob Gass
