Humility the Hard Way

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My devotion this morning was on the Prodigal Son.  I always felt like I related to the Prodigal's brother more...the one who stayed.  But then I realized that I was totally wrong.  It doesn't matter what sin you commit, or how "big" the world thinks it is...when we walk down that path of whatever sin, we a being like the Prodigal and walking away from a loving father.  What's interesting is the freedom the loving Father gives the son, the son is like "gimme all the money, and see ya later!" And the Father gives it (probably knowing exactly what will happen) The son was humbled...big time!
So maybe that's the point, God allows us to think we know what we're doing, we say things like "hey can I handle this one?" Or "I know what I'm doing!" and He lets us go...and when we come back we are humbled in our hearts...that's why the son got a party, because he learned a good lesson the hard way.  Thank you Lord for always taking me back!

Luke 15:11-24 (N L T)

Parable of the Lost Son

 ¹¹ To illustrate the point further, Jesus told them this story: “A man had two sons. ¹² The younger son told his father, ‘I want my share of your estate now before you die.’ So his father agreed to divide his wealth between his sons.

 ¹³ “A few days later this younger son packed all his belongings and moved to a distant land, and there he wasted all his money in wild living. ¹⁴ About the time his money ran out, a great famine swept over the land, and he began to starve. ¹⁵ He persuaded a local farmer to hire him, and the man sent him into his fields to feed the pigs. ¹⁶ The young man became so hungry that even the pods he was feeding the pigs looked good to him. But no one gave him anything.

 ¹⁷ “When he finally came to his senses, he said to himself, ‘At home even the hired servants have food enough to spare, and here I am dying of hunger! ¹⁸ I will go home to my father and say, “Father, I have sinned against both heaven and you, ¹⁹ and I am no longer worthy of being called your son. Please take me on as a hired servant.”’

 ²⁰ “So he returned home to his father. And while he was still a long way off, his father saw him coming. Filled with love and compassion, he ran to his son, embraced him, and kissed him. ²¹ His son said to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against both heaven and you, and I am no longer worthy of being called your son.^[a]’

 ²² “But his father said to the servants, ‘Quick! Bring the finest robe in the house and put it on him. Get a ring for his finger and sandals for his feet. ²³ And kill the calf we have been fattening. We must celebrate with a feast, ²⁴ for this son of mine was dead and has now returned to life. He was lost, but now he is found.’ So the party began.