On March 22, 1998, a woman was sitting in a restaurant with her husband and another couple, who were celebrating their wedding anniversary. During the meal, she suffered a seizure and aspirated the food she was swallowing. By the time paramedics were able to clear her air passage, all her brain had died except the stem. It was later determined that her seizure was due to brain damage caused by drug and alcohol abuse.
This young woman had been raised in a godly home and in high school had been a great example of a Christian teen. She was active in her church’s youth ministry, holding bible studies for other girls and leading students in her school to Christ. When she went away to college, things changed. She started choosing friends that didn’t hold the same values. She began to experiment with things that were harmful to her. At first, she saw it as just a way to spread her wings a little and have some fun. Unfortunately, she became addicted to drugs and alcohol. She even got involved with the occult. She married a man who also was addicted and after a few years, she and her son were objects of abuse.
To have a little fun, this woman went from a beautiful girl who demonstrated God’s love to her family and friends, to a person who at times, was an uncontrollable beast. After her choking accident, she never regained consciousness and on March 26, 1998, Sherry, my oldest sister, died at the age of 47.
I share all this with you this morning to clearly illustrate that running away from God has consequences. But also, to show you that God does not give up on those that try to run away. Although the physical consequences never left her body, in the last two years of her life, God allowed me to minister to her and Sherry repented of her sin and returned to the Savior who loved her. Jesus tells a similar story in a parable.
In Luke 15, we find the Parable of the Prodigal Son. Because of the length of the account, I will not print it here, but please read it, beginning at verse 11. The focus is not on the wandering of the son, but on the grace of the dad to accept him back. From this story of Jesus, we must learn that God continues to seek those who try running from him because of his overwhelming grace.
This young man asked for all his father would give him and through a life of sin and foolishness, wasted it away. This resulted in finding himself homeless, hungry, and living in a pig stye. In his desperation, he planned to return to his father and beg to become one of his slaves so he at least could have food and shelter.
However, what he found was unexpected. Look at verses 20-24, So he got up and went to his father. “But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and was filled with compassion for him; he ran to his son, threw his arms around him and kissed him. 21“The son said to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son.‘ 22“But the father said to his servants, ‘Quick! Bring the best robe and put it on him. Put a ring on his finger and sandals on his feet. 23Bring the fattened calf and kill it. Let’s have a feast and celebrate. 24For this son of mine was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.’ So they began to celebrate.
The main point is that even though the son did all he could to ruin their relationship, the father was continuously watching for his return! And when he came, offered forgiveness and the full reward of a pardoned son. It does not matter how far you have strayed from our Lord and his truth, he wants you back. Come humbly to him and ask for forgiveness and you will be restored to the fullness of God’s blessing.