You Are No Prodigal! (So Stop Spending Yourself!)

"And when he came to himself, he said, How many hired servants of my father's have bread enough and to spare, and I perish with hunger!

"I will arise and go to my father, and will say unto him, Father, I have sinned against heaven, and before thee," (Luke 15: 17-18)

When the Prodigal Son "came to himself," when he remembered who he is, he set out to return to his father.

He must have assumed that his Father was a compassionate man, one who would tolerate his son's return and permit him to serve as a servant. Under Old Testament law, all rebellious children would be stoned to death for their impudence (Deuteronomy 12: 18-21).

Beloved, at times in our life we may feel that we have strayed far from God. Yet for us, we have a certain standing better than even the Prodigal Son:

"Herein is our love made perfect, that we may have boldness in the day of judgment: because as he is, so are we in this world." (1 John 4: 17)

Not only can we claim by faith that we are like Jesus, having received our righteous standing in Him (2 Corinthians 5: 21) and the adoption of sonship through Him (Romans 8: 15; Ephesians 1: 5), but we can even face the most severe of trials, whether of our own making or a matter of circumstance:

"Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need." (Hebrews 4: 16)

We do not have to struggle to spend ourselves to the bitter end, either, as we have already received an inexhaustible supply in Christ:

"Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ:" (Ephesians 1: 3)

If you feel lost, desolate, just remember who you are, and come boldly to your Father God, who has sworn that He will never leave us nor forsake us (Hebrews 13: 5)