Can your life be compared to the Prodigal Son?

Luke 15:11-31 I want to briefly go over the story of the Prodigal Son - The youngest son came to his father and asked for his inheritance ahead of time. The he took his inheritance and ran away to spend it on having a good time. He had plenty of "friends" to help him spend the money which quickly was gone. When the money was gone so were his "friends." He didn't have any money and was reduced to working in a pigpen, the most humiliating job for a Jew. Then while working one day he thought about his father's servants how they had food and a place to sleep. So he decided that he would rise up and go to his father and tell him I have sinned against heaven and against you. While on his journey back home his father seen him afar and went running to his son. His father was filled with compassion and threw his arms around him and kissed him. He told his servants to put the best robe on him, ring on his finger, and sandals. Then he threw a big party for him because he was lost but now he is found. 

Can you relate? I can! See I one time was at home and I had everything I wanted - great parents, family, I went to church on a weekly basis and they would teach me the Word of God. However, one day I ran away from all of that. I had friends who kept me high all the time. I had friends in which we partied all the time. I knew my parents were always praying for me and waiting for me to come back home, just like the father of the prodigal son. One day as I laid in bed (at my friend's house) everyone was asleep. I just laid there and couldn't fall asleep. Then all of a sudden a thought came to me "you cannot go on living your life this way, go back home." In the meantime, there had been a young lady, that happened to be my real friend from childhood that we went to the same church. Every time she would see me she would tell me if you ever want to talk call me any day at any time and she would give me her number and every time I would throw it away. However, that night I got up from the bed and walked down the street to a major intersection to find a pay phone. I called her and her father answered the phone and said she is asleep (it was a Saturday night) and I told him "you don't understand she said I can call her at any time and I really need her." I proceeded to tell her where I was. While I stood there the thought enters my head that someone is going to drive by and kill me so I get scared and leave back to the house. So when my friend got there she didn't find me. She called my mother and told her everything. My mother (thank God for mothers) with her robe got in her car not knowing how to get to where I was started praying and asking God to guide her to where I was at. God did guide her and she made it to the house (I was back in bed). I heard her knocking on the door, but it was like I was paralyzed and couldn't get up. Then she went to the side door knocking and calling out my name. I would say in a faint voice "I'm here." Then all of a sudden I was able to get up, I opened the front door and she came running to the front door and I threw myself in her arms and kept saying over and over "get me out of here." This is why I compare my life like the Prodigal Son. I had left but then I came back to my senses and went back home and I was received with open arms and love. 

There is so much you can get out of this story, but the one I want to speak about is God's unconditional love. See it doesn't matter how bad you've messed up. It doesn't matter what you did in your past. He still loves you. He loves you, he doesn't like the sin. He doesn't like what you are doing right now, but He's telling you I love you right this second and always. He loved you so much that He opened up His arms wide open and died on the cross but He is risen. You don't have to live in shame or live fear. You don't have to live in guilt. You know what, my God is so awesome that He forgives you and the Word of God says that He throws your sins to the bottom of the sea. In Micah 7:19 it says "You will again have compassion on us; you will tread our sin underfoot and hurl all iniquities into the depths of the sea." (NIV) See it doesn't matter what you have done in the past or what you are doing presently - He forgives you! As he forgives you, you need to learn to forgive yourself.

"For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son that whosoever believes in Him shall not perish but have everlasting life." John 3:16