Return to Him

Jesus continued: "There was a man who had two sons. The younger one said to his father, 'Father, give me my share of the estate.' So he divided his property between them. "Not long after that, the younger son got together all he had, set off for a distant country and there squandered his wealth in wild living. After he had spent everything, there was a severe famine in that whole country, and he began to be in need. So he went and hired himself out to a citizen of that country, who sent him to his fields to feed pigs. He longed to fill his stomach with the pods that the pigs were eating, but no one gave him anything. (Luke 15:11-16 NIV)

There is a reason the Israelites wanted Moses to be the mouthpiece for God:  They didn't want to face Him.  God was large and in charge.  They really didn't want to draw near to a God that was so big and so powerful...especially if they had done something wrong.

And the LORD God commanded the man, "You are free to eat from any tree in the garden; but you must not eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, for when you eat from it you will certainly die." (Genesis 2:16-17 NIV)

When God gives us words to live by, they often contain the "flip side" of the coin: the word to die by.  God gives us good gifts, God teaches us, and God warns us.  Each of these are helpful and important.  The warnings, in particular, are there to keep us safe.

Now the serpent was more crafty than any of the wild animals the LORD God had made. He said to the woman, "Did God really say, 'You must not eat from any tree in the garden'?" The woman said to the serpent, "We may eat fruit from the trees in the garden, but God did say, 'You must not eat fruit from the tree that is in the middle of the garden, and you must not touch it, or you will die.'" "You will not certainly die," the serpent said to the woman. "For God knows that when you eat from it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil." When the woman saw that the fruit of the tree was good for food and pleasing to the eye, and also desirable for gaining wisdom, she took some and ate it. She also gave some to her husband, who was with her, and he ate it. Then the eyes of both of them were opened, and they realized they were naked; so they sewed fig leaves together and made coverings for themselves. (Genesis 3:1-7 NIV)

The prodigal son had a much better life staying at home with his father.  Adam and Eve had a much better life staying in the Garden with The Father.  When they left home, they also left many blessings behind as well.  There was a moment when they realized that they blew it.  The prodigal son "came to his senses."  Adam and Eve's "eyes were opened."  They were no longer walking together with God.

for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, (Romans 3:23 NIV)

They aren't the only ones.  We run away from home, too.  We eat the forbidden fruit.  We turn away from God and removes ourselves from His protective care.  We squander His blessings.  We are no longer walking together with God.

"When he came to his senses, he said, 'How many of my father's hired servants have food to spare, and here I am starving to death! I will set out and go back to my father and say to him: Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son; make me like one of your hired servants.' (Luke 15:17-19 NIV)

It is in that moment of realization that we need to make a decision.  We look up and realize that we are not home anymore.  We realize that we are not near The Father.  We also realize that life was much better together with Father than it ever was away from Him.  It is in that moment that we are faced with the question:  "Can I go back?"

Jesus answered, "I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. If you really know me, you will know my Father as well. From now on, you do know him and have seen him." (John 14:6-7 NIV)

Father says, "Yes. Come home."  Jesus paved the way.

For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord. (Romans 6:23 NIV)

How about you?  Have you run away from "home?"  Have you reached the moment when you realize that life with God is far better than life without God?  Have you decided to return home?