Heading Home

Today’s post is a guest post contributed by Rachel King, who writes on the topic of Christian Universities. Rachel welcomes your comments at her email address: r.king8383@reddifmail.com

One of my favorite parables from the Bible was that of the prodigal son. While it is true that it was unfair to the one who remained behind, the story of how the rebel who left home came back to be welcomed with open arms by his parents. His father, who brought out the fatted calf to celebrate his return, touched a chord in my heart because it made me realize that no matter how ungrateful or selfish we are, our parents never stop considering us their children. They never stop loving us or caring for us, and this is the very essence of parenthood.

If mere mortals could be so loving and forgiving, imagine how much more merciful God is! He who created us in his form and gave us his flesh and blood so we could live is always willing to take us back into the fold, if only we repent and come home.

So when you’ve lived a life of sin and are tempted to change, don’t let people convince you that it’s too late to do so, that you’ve lost all chances of redemption and that you’re better off confining yourself to the life you know. Instead, make a decision to walk away from it all and never look back.

It’s may seem a difficult task to come back when you’ve gone astray, but all you need to do is:

Really want to change: When you know in your heart that you want to go back to the fold, that you want to live your life as a good Christian, you know it’s time to return home. If you’re scared to return because of the taunts you may face or the challenges that life will throw at you, pray and ask for strength to deal with these setbacks.

Believe that you can do it: You need to hold fast to the belief that you can do what you set your mind to. You need to prove that you are willing to go the extra mile in order to wipe out your past and start afresh on a clean slate. And most of all, you need to hold fast to your belief that you can do it and never waver from your decision.

Seek help from those who believe in you: If the going is tough, ask for help from those who love and support you. Make them proud of you for the change you seek to undergo, and prove to them that their faith in you is justified.

Remember, it’s not the length of time he was away or the nature of his sin that determined how the prodigal son was welcomed back; rather, it was the very fact that he came home again that took precedence over and wiped out everything else.