The Parables of My Life:
The Prodigals
By Rev. Lonnie C. Crowe
Most of us are familiar with the “Parable of the Prodigal
Son.” However, take a few moments and
refresh your memory by reading Luke 15:11-32.
This is, in truth, the story of two prodigal sons. We miss the deeper story when we define “prodigal”
as wayward. “Prodigal” refers to a specific kind of waywardness. Merriam-Webster defines “prodigal” as “carelessly
and foolishly spending money, time, etc.”
One son was prodigal in spending his inheritance
foolishly. The second son was prodigal
in foolishly ignoring the resources and relationships that were available to
him. The question we must each ask
ourselves is, “Am I prodigal with my inheritance in the Lord?”
Our inheritance in the Lord has little to do with
money. Our riches are heavenly. They are spiritual. Psalm 16:5-6 has long been one of my “life
verses.” “O LORD, You are the portion of my inheritance and my cup; You maintain
my lot. The lines have fallen to me in pleasant places; Yes, I have a good inheritance” (Psalm 16:5-6 NKJV).
While those verses do not always describe the situations in my life, they
aptly describe my position in the Lord. No matter what is happening around me, God
is my inheritance and my cup of joy.
Because I can trust Him for my provision, the lines have truly fallen to
me in pleasant places.
What is my inheritance in the Lord?
The Bible has much to say about our inheritance. One of my favorite scriptures is 1 Peter 1:3-4 (NKJV): “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord
Jesus Christ, who according to His abundant mercy has begotten us again to a
living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, to an
inheritance incorruptible and undefiled and that does not fade away, reserved
in heaven for you.”
Because our God is a God of abundance, our inheritance is
more than spending eternity with Him.
Our inheritance includes living victoriously in this often difficult
life. A glorious part of the inheritance
is the fruit of the Spirit that becomes ours when we accept Jesus Christ as our
Lord and Savior and the Holy Spirit indwells us. “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy,
peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness,
self-control. Against such there is no law. And those who are Christ's have crucified the
flesh with its passions and desires. If we live in the Spirit, let us
also walk in the Spirit” (Galatians
5:22-25 NKJV).
Another question to ask is, “Am
I allowing my fleshly passions and desires to tarnish the fruit of the Spirit
in my life?” When we do not walk in the
Spirit, we are being prodigal with our inheritance.
Many times we cry out for God
to imbue us with the fruit of the Spirit not realizing that He has already done
so and we need only to allow the fruit to be manifest in our lives. In those times, we are prodigal like the
second son who had all the resources of his father at hand and did not avail
himself of them.
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