A SHEEP, A SON

A SHEEP---A SON
Jesus told a story once about one sheep. At another time he told a story about one son.
A casual observation might leave the impression that they tell the same general story. BUT THE DO NOT! They do, however, each have a happy ending, but only by the mercy of God. Thank God for His Mercy. It is an enduring substance.
The sheep, in His story, was not able to know the way. It was helpless. So the Shepherd went searching for it, lest some predator find it and destroy it.
II Peter 3:9 The Lord is--not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.
The prodigal, however, was not lost. He was a typical teenager. He KNEW the comforts of home-- food, clothing, shelter, etc. But "home" was too restrictive for him-- you know the story. It can be summed up in a few words, like this:
WILLFUL: Luke 15:12 And the younger of them said to [his] father, Father, give me the portion of goods that falleth [to me]. And he divided unto them [his] living.

WAYWARD: Luke 15:13 And not many days after the younger son gathered all together,

WANDERING: and took his journey into a far country,

WASTEFUL: and there wasted his substance with riotous living.

WANTING: Luke 15:14 And when he had spent all, there arose a mighty famine in that land; and he began to be in want.

WRETCHED: Luke 15:15 And he went and joined himself to a citizen of that country; and he sent him into his fields to feed swine. And he would fain have filled his belly with the husks that the swine did eat: and no man gave unto him.

WAKENING: Luke 15:17 And when he came to himself, he said, How many hired servants of my father's have bread enough and to spare, and I perish with hunger! I will arise and go to my father, and will say unto him, Father, I have sinned against heaven, and before thee, And am no more worthy to be called thy son: make me as one of thy hired servants.

WELCOME: Luke 15:20 And he arose, and came to his father. But when he was yet a great way off, his father saw him, and had compassion, and ran, and fell on his neck, and kissed him. And the son said unto him, Father, I have sinned against heaven, and in thy sight, and am no more worthy to be called thy son. But the father said to his servants, Bring forth the best robe, and put [it] on him; and put a ring on his hand, and shoes on [his] feet: And bring hither the fatted calf, and kill [it]; and let us eat, and be merry: For this my son was dead, and is alive again; he was lost, and is found. And they began to be merry.

IT IS WELL TO NOTE that the father DID NOT GO LOOKING FOR THE SON, to bring him back home. The prodigal was not helpless. He was not lost.
The prodigal had made his own choice, he had gone his own way. He had done his own thing. He had known what he was doing when he did it.
But he had not figured on the CONSEQUENCES of his actions. Lack of experience and wisdom was bound to take its toll, just as it will with you and me when we turn away from the Will of God as it is explained in the Word of God.
The way of the transgressor is hard. Proverbs 13:15 Good understanding giveth favour: but the way of transgressors [is] hard.
The prodigal did not "come to" until he was starving. It is so typical of human nature to insist on its own way-- clear down to the last ditch.
But the "last ditch" does appear on the horizon for every one who is running from God.
Remember Jonah. Remember Balaam-- though Balaam did not turn fast enough. He was killed in the middle of a scheme to destroy Israel. See Num. 31:8 & 16
How long do you and I dare to defy the Word of the Lord?
Will we "come to" in time to save ourselves from destruction?