Earlier this week, we considered the choices and path of the younger son. His choices led him to the hard places, the far country.
Let’s summarize the situation and circumstances of this son.
He’s in a far country, away from his father and family. He lavishly scatters his inheritance with little to no regard that it will come to an end—but after a while, he reaches into his money bag to pull out one last coin. Following the spending of that last coin, his popularity and the posturing others did to receive the scatter of his wealth will fade away.
Now, he is seen as an unwelcome poor foreigner and treated with disdain. To compound his destitution, a famine rises in that once exotic far country. He begins to know things once foreign to him—hunger, loneliness, pain, isolation, discrimination, thirst, and discomfort. For the first time in his life, the young man knows need. Real need, the poverty of body, mind, and spirit.
Ask the Holy Spirit to help you consider these questions.
Have you found yourself in some kind of far country? Perhaps you are navigating the far countries of fear, disobedience, criticism, hatred, judgment, apathy, confusion, selfishness, or disregard?
Are you squandering, wasting the gifts, resources, and inheritance God gave you?
Are you living recklessly, prodigally, in any way?
Is there a famine of peace, joy, faith, hope, or love in your life?
Ask God to enable you to recognize your need.