Prodigal

David woke up on this partly cloudy Sunday morning intent to sleep in before the notifications on his phone started going off. “Bonus Pay on all orders” was the notifications he received from his DoorDash app. “Eh, I really don’t feel like dashing today, but why not? Maybe I’ll make a lot very quickly being that bonus pay is booming.” David thought to himself.

He got dressed, brushed his teeth and fed his cat before heading out the door. As he cranked up his car and drove off he hooked his phone up to his lightning cable port so he could play his music. By chance his YouTube app just happened to be open. As he started scrolling through the app to go to his music playlist he accidentally clicked on a daily devotional from the televangelist account of The Lord’s Hands Ministries. Though he was hesitant to listen he decided to let it play as he began dashing his orders.

“Good morning. Today we want to talk to you about being the prodigal. As the Bible tells us in Luke 15:11-32, the prodigal son was a rebellious and wayward son who squandered what he inherited and returned home to receive the loving grace of his and father and our God in Heaven through unconditional love. Ask yourself are you a prodigal? Are you rebellious and wayward in the flesh while knowing that you need to stop fleeing from the Lord and returning to your rightful place? Well now is the time.”

After listening to the devotional David received an order on his dash from McDonald’s. He recognized the address the food was meant to be delivered to as a church by where he lives. After picking up the order he drove to the church and was met out front by the pastor and his wife. “Why thank you young man.” The pastor greeted. “Oh you’re very welcome David replied. Before he could walk away the pastor stopped. “Hold on one second, son.” The pastor began as he examined David closely. “What is it?” David asked with a confused expression.

“You’ve been running, son.” The pastor continued. “You’ve been running from the Lord and he’s been telling you to come home for some time now, but the rebellion in your flesh won’t let you. The pastor then put his hand on David’s chest. “Listen to the father, son. Come home.”

As the pastor and his wife went back into the sanctuary of the church to begin their service, David slowly turned around d and walked back to his car thinking about the pastor’s words. “I haven’t been to church in almost a year because of everything I’ve been through. Maybe I should go visit the old homestead and pay everyone a visit.” David then cut off his DoorDash app and made his way to New Life Church. When he arrived out front of the church he laughed at the thought of having not seen the church in so long that it was almost foreign to him.

He knew the church was under new leadership with many of the same members and noticed that his friends Marilyn and Warren were present as he saw their car parked outside. He walked in and saw so many new faces and hardly recognized the place, but when the married couple of Marilyn and Warren saw his face they smiled and greeted him with the biggest hug. “So good to see you, David.” Marilyn said in a joyful tone. “We missed you brother.” Warren added. David smiled and listened as this pastor who was new to him spoke on coming home.

“Brothers and sisters every now and then we find ourselves dealing with the woes and responsibilities of the world and end up straying from God. Often times he gives us a gift and we get so immersed in the gift that we forget about the giver himself, our father who art in Heaven. Are you running from the Lord today? If so, come on down to the alter and come home. Lay down your burdens and let him back in.”

Many people walked to the alter. David did not join them, but held Marilyn and Warren’s hands as he received the message being spoken. As service David embraced Marilyn and Warren. “It was so good seeing both of y’all again.” David started. “Make sure you come back and see us soon.” Marilyn replied as she gave him one more big hug. “We love you brother.” Warren concluded as he hugged David.

David left the church and got in his car thinking about the day’s events. “First I got an accidental devotional, then I got a DoorDash order for a church and then I get a trip back to my old church all telling me to come home and stop being rebellious with my gifts. Maybe it really is time for me to come home.”