Time to return

Call To Prayer

Title: Time to return

By: Owusu Clifford S.

Date: 18/06/2022

 When he came to his senses, he said, ‘How many of my father’s hired servants have food to spare, and here I am starving to death! 18 I will set out and go back to my father and say to him: Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you. – Luke 15:17-18

In 2019, Ghana launched a tourism project called “the year of return”. Most Ghanaians abroad and those of Ghanaian descent who did not even know returned to their homeland. The country reaped great financial rewards from tourism that year.

There comes a time in a person’s life when you realise the only way forward is to go back. It is not retrogression but progression, especially if your present circumstances are no where near what you used to be previously. The parable of the prodigal son is quite popular in Biblical circles and among believers. There are so many lessons that can be learnt from that parable. In today’s Call to Prayer, I will focus on just a few.

First, the son came to a point of realisation. He realised that his present circumstances is no where near what he was enjoying in his father’s house, and definitely not what he expected when he took his inheritance. The reality dawned on him. Usually, during conversations with believers, one common theme is that most people are not at the spiritual level they used to be, and they are not better off spiritually if I should be specific. The reality has dawned on most believers. Often, the zeal and passion for the things of God are not like before. The prodigal son squandered his inheritance. Maybe you have also squandered your spiritual and Christian sanity and stability on things that do not matter. So what hope do we have? This takes us to our next lesson, just go back!

Sometimes going back is very hard, especially when it relates to spiritual things because when you give the enemy a foothold after salvation, he comes back with stronger and more wicked spirits (Matthew 12:45), not to possess but mostly to restrict and sabotage the destiny and assignment of the believer. The prodigal son knew that the only way out of his predicament was to go back to his father’s house. Yes, he has destroyed what was given to him. He has wasted his years. He might have thought of the shame and mockery that would come his way. Beloved, maybe you find yourself in such a situation, but one thing I want you to know is nothing surpasses the joy of going back to God. What has been destroyed is already gone, so forget about it and approach the throne of grace with boldness and you will obtain grace and mercy (Hebrews 4:16). The father welcomed the son, threw a party for him without judging him. That is how God is, as long as you are alive and willing to go back, He is also willing to accept you and wipe away your tears. If you critically read the story, you will realise that the father did not bring back the past of his son. Human beings will always remember and remind you, but God will forgive, forget and erase it from your records. Isn’t it relieving to know that you have a clean sheet again?

Finally, the son accepted that everything that happened was his fault. He did not blame the association he had. He did not blame the society. He did not blame the environment. He took all the blame. Why? Because all those were his unilateral decisions. His words were, “I have sinned” not “something caused me to sin”. Yes, we know the devil is behind everything but who opened the gate for the devil and gave him a room? Remember, a broken and contrite heart God does not reject (Psalm 51:17). If you can blame everything or everyone for your mistakes but not you, then your ego is too big for your life as a Christian. Come to God in humility, accept your faults and He will forgive you. In Luke 15:20, even before the son will apologise to his father, the father already had compassion on him and forgave him, because he came with a broken and contrite heart.

My dear friend, I want you to know that wherever you have gotten to, you still have time to return. God hates your sin, not you. Come humbly, and you will be forgiven even before you plead. God bless you!

Prayer Point:

Let us thank God for the answers to our prayers. Let us pray for boldness and confidence for those who have gone far off and struggling to return.

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