If you’ve been to Sunday school, Vacation Bible School, or church camp, you’ve probably heard the story of the prodigal son. He grew up in a good home where everything was provided, but after he got to a certain age, he wanted out.

Let’s take a deeper dive into the story.

First of all, what he thought he was entitled to was not to be given to him until his father died. Literally, what he was saying was, Dad, I wish you were dead! Wow. What a spoiled brat. But the father went ahead and gave his son what he wanted, and off he went.

You know the rest of the story. He was free from anyone telling him what to do. He could stay out late, party with his new friends, and just have fun. No rules, no curfew, just FUN!

Sin is fun … until it’s not. Hebrews 11:25 tells us there is pleasure in sin — for a season. The prodigal son’s pleasure came to a halt when he ran out of money and somehow, at the same time, ran out of friends. With no money to buy everyone’s drinks, they were gone. To make matters worse, a famine came across the land.

He had no job, no home, and no friends. But then he stumbled upon someone who gave him a job. Sort of. It wasn’t a great job — room and board only — but beggars can’t be choosers, can they? He was hired to feed pigs. PIGS! Remember, he was Jewish, and pigs are unclean. Jews were not to go anywhere near a pig. However, not only was he feeding pigs, but he was to the point where pig food looked good to him.

He had fallen so far down the hole in his life that there was nowhere to look but up. The Bible says, “He came to his senses.” He realized home was not as bad as he thought it was. It had a bed, clothes, and food — but even more importantly, a father who loved him. He loved him enough to allow him to hit rock bottom. And at rock bottom, he began the journey home. As he went, he rehearsed the story in his mind that he’d just be a hired hand instead of a son.

As he was nearing home, the father saw him a long way off. Was he thinking, *I hope he’s had enough of his sinful living and realizes how right I’ve been"? No! The father rushed to him, hugged and kissed him, wept over him, and ignored the filthy clothes and the smell of pigs. He even gave him a new wardrobe and nice shoes and then threw a party for him, grateful for his son returning home alive.

This story had a happy ending. But not all prodigal stories end happily ever after. Some prodigals get sucked into groups like Antifa, feeling entitled to what others have, not what they’ve earned. Many end up addicted to drugs or alcohol, and with the fentanyl crisis, the results can be deadly. I’m personally aware of at least a dozen families who’ve lost loved ones to fentanyl.

America has become a prodigal nation because we have forgotten what family really means. It’s not having things but rather strong, loving families built on a biblically based foundation. Anything else is a house built on shifting sand.

If you have prodigals in your family, as we do, don’t be discouraged. Pray for your prodigals to “come to their senses” and realize they’ve settled for the world’s pig food. Pray for them to come home, realizing your home needs to be more than a “house.” More importantly, pray your prodigals to come back to the Heavenly Father’s house!

Something to pray about!
Semper Fidelis