When someone dear to me lives contrary to the faith they
once professed, I am sad and burdened for them. Sometimes it seems as if they
have completely forgotten God and are oblivious to their sinful state. Instead
of being themselves burdened, they have made life’s pleasures their gods and
show no interest in the Lord they once loved and followed.
This morning, Jesus reminds me that this is not uncommon. He
tells the story of the prodigal son . . .
And (Jesus) said, “There was a man who had two sons. And the
younger of them said to his father, ‘Father, give me the share of property that
is coming to me.’ And he divided his property between them. Not many days
later, the younger son gathered all he had and took a journey into a far
country, and there he squandered his property in reckless living. (Luke
15:11–13)
The story begins this way and names of my family and
friends come to mind. They seem well off, far from God, and squandering their
lives in reckless living. Some of these have made and profession of faith and
been baptized but no one would see that in them now.
Yet the Holy Spirit reminds me of a truth that I need to
hear concerning God’s people. He said this to them when they were also
wandering in the wilderness of sin even though they once had pledged obedience
to Him . . .
But if you will not do so, behold, you have sinned against
the Lord, and be sure your sin
will find you out. (Numbers 32:23)
If God truly has claimed people for Himself, sin and
reckless living is not the end of the story. It eventually “finds them out.” Consider
what happened to the prodigal . . .
And when he had spent everything, a severe famine arose in
that country, and he began to be in need. So he went and hired himself out to
one of the citizens of that country, who sent him into his fields to feed pigs.
And he was longing to be fed with the pods that the pigs ate, and no one gave
him anything. “But when he came to himself, he said, ‘How many of my father’s
hired servants have more than enough bread, but I perish here with hunger! I
will arise and go to my father, and I will say to him, “Father, I have sinned
against heaven and before you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son.
Treat me as one of your hired servants.” ’ (Luke 15:14–19)
This young man finally realized that he was messed up and
returned to his father. He wasn’t the only one. David had sinned greatly and even
though he may not have shown guilt on the outside, inside his heart he knew that
he was guilty.
For I know my transgressions, and my sin is ever before me.
Against you, you only, have I sinned and done what is evil in your sight, so
that you may be justified in your words and blameless in your judgment. (Psalm
51:3–4)
Conviction eventually led David to ask forgiveness. Those
who put their faith in Him know that God hears and answers such prayers . . .
Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean; wash me, and I
shall be whiter than snow. Let me hear joy and gladness; let the bones that you
have broken rejoice. Hide your face from my sins, and blot out all my
iniquities. Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right spirit within
me. Cast me not away from your presence, and take not your Holy Spirit from me.
(Psalm 51:7–11)
For me, these passages are a comfort. They tell me that
even though people might not show it on the outside, God can still be at work
on the inside, convicting them of sin and not letting them forget the faith that
they once had. It is my prayer that one day soon, these whom I love will speak
the following prayer to God, or something like it, and their spirits and joy in
Him will be renewed . . .
For our transgressions are multiplied before you, and our
sins testify against us; for our transgressions are with us, and we know our
iniquities: transgressing, and denying the Lord,
and turning back from following our God, speaking oppression and revolt,
conceiving and uttering from the heart lying words. (Isaiah 59:12–13)
Oh Lord, you know the hearts of those on my heart. May a
prayer like this soon be the prayer of everyone of them. Amen.
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