Stay Where You Are
He who dwells in the secret place of the Most High shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty.
Psalm 91:1
Why would the prodigal son leave his father's house when everything he needed was there? Because:
(1) He got used to its benefits and took them for granted. We're not slow learners - bust quick forgetters! That's why God told His people, "Be careful that you do not forget the Lord, who brought you… out of… slavery" (Deuteronomy 6:12 NIV). When they crossed the Jordan and entered the Promised Land God told them to take 12 stones, one for each tribe, and build a memorial. Why? To remind them of whom they were, who He was, and the covenant that bound them together.
(2) He didn't know what was 'out there.' The path that takes us away from God leads to pain, not gain. Ask those who've walked it. They'll say, "Don’t go there!" If you think things are bad now, wait till you leave God's protective custody!
(3) He wanted his father's blessings but not his authority. The question Christ asks you today are: "Why do you call me, 'Lord'… and do not do what I say?" (Luke 6:46 NIV). Why indeed! Peter Marshall, Chaplain to the US Senate, once prayed: "Lord, help us to apply what we applaud." Amen!
God told Moses: "I will make all My goodness pass before you… Here is a place by Me, and you shall stand on the rock" (Exodus 33:19-21). When you find your place in God's Kingdom and begin to function in it, you'll begin to experience His goodness in your life. And what about the prodigal? When he came home his place was waiting for him. Yours is too!
