Are You Wasting Your Inheritance? Luke 15:11-24
Jesus came to save the lost and express God’s deepest love for you and me. In the book of Luke Jesus is telling a story about a certain man who had two sons. The younger son asked his father to give him his share of his inheritance while he was still living. In Jewish culture, the son’s request was very disrespectful and it meant that the son could not wait until his father died. He wanted his share of the family money and wanted to leave his family and go travel.
His father could have said no, but granted his son’s request. It wasn’t the father’s will to do this, but because he loved his son, he allowed him to take his inheritance. It wasn’t long before the son had packed up and left his father and older brother. The younger brother had money and the freedom to go and do whatever he wanted to do. He didn’t have to work in the family business anymore.
The younger brother traveled to a faraway country and ended up squandering his inheritance, partying, and having a good time. A famine came to the land and the younger brother had run out of money and friends. Because he had no food, he went to work for a citizen of that country and had to take care of the pigs. He even tried to eat pig food to satisfy his hunger. He had hit rock bottom because in Jewish culture, pigs were unclean animals, and Jews were forbidden to eat or handle anything unclean. One day, he came to his senses and thought about his home with all the servants who had plenty of bread and food to eat. He decided he would go home and ask his father to forgive him and ask if he would hire him as a servant because he was not worthy to be called his father’s son any longer.
The son goes back home. From a distance, the father sees his son with nothing, has compassion for him, and immediately runs to greet him. For a long time, the father had been waiting and watching for his son to return. The father is so happy to see him and greets him with hugs and kisses. The son proceeds to tell his father that he has sinned and is not worthy to be called his son. Before he can continue the father orders the servants to bring his son the best robe, a ring, and sandals for his feet. He orders them to kill the fatted calf and have a great party to celebrate his son who was dead and is now alive, who was lost and now is found.
This story is a picture of God’s love for you and me, even when we leave our faith or stray away to go and live however we wish. It’s not God’s will that we leave His side, but God does not force us. He gives us free will to choose a life with Him or a life without Him. He is always there and loves us so much. Sometimes our strong desires for independent living without God gets us in trouble. No matter what mistakes we have made, He is always waiting and watching for us to change our minds and come back to Him. Like the prodigal son, who did not feel he was worthy to be called his father’s son, we may not feel worthy of God’s love and grace, but He gives it to us when we return back to Him. When we come back to Him, heaven celebrates.
Your inheritance is in God’s Word and His promises are for you. (2 Cor. 1:20; John 10:10)
Personal Development Tip of the Week:
Are you praying to prosper in your life? Sometimes as Christians we come to God only when we are struggling or in need of something. God doesn’t only want you to come to him in times of need but also to thank him for what he has already done in your life as well as what’s to come.
Praying to prosper to me means to pray about the blessings in all areas of your life that God is bringing your way. This to me demonstrates strong Faith and is so pleasing to God.
I made an Instagram T.V. video about this specific topic and if you would like to learn more about praying to prosper you can watch that here: https://www.instagram.com/tv/CQRLVy-FbpD/
Prayer for the week:
Dear Heavenly Father, I am praying over this individual's day today lord, and for them to have an amazing week. I pray for you to open new doors of opportunities and for explosive blessings to run them down this week. I pray that they can start praying to prosper over their life each and every day to continue to grow their faith in Jesus name amen!
-Dayne
PS. If you would like to support us consider checking out www.litwithprayer.com and picking up our devotional prayer journal to our new pieces of Christian-based Jewelry.
Are You Wasting Your Inheritance?