Getting back to satisfaction in Jesus.

Occasionally, a note comes from a brother or sister that rips at my heart and drives me to my knees … and again, it also makes me realize it just may represent the voice of many others.  Following the briefing “Only one thing satisfies”, this came from a Nigerian loved one~ “I am confused and distanced away from God. I don't know what is happening to me recently but all I need is God's mercy and His restoration. He should please restore me back to His presence once again. I was in Him before but I have allowed loneliness and the problems of life that confronted my marriage to distance me away from Him. I do not know how to go about it please let God use you to restore me back to Him. Thank you so much ma. Today's message made me shed tears, He is the only one who can satisfy. His grace will increase in your life amen.” 

More than 7000 miles lie between my Nigerian friend and me – yet, I am convinced his or her feelings are not isolated.  This week, I was in my local pharmacy, and had just completed my transaction and turned from the window, when I saw the woman.  Someone I have known for several years, someone always hurting from life it seems--she informed me that her divorce was finally ‘final’, which to my way of thinking should have been a relief—based on how badly her husband had behaved, how badly he had treated her.  But she was more broken than ever, admitting that she no longer went to church, no longer even knew where she belonged, especially with God, though she would like to get back there.

She looked at me with longing eyes, begging me to throw her a lifeline.  ‘Please can you tell me how to get back to life again?’ Here’s the thing—there are times when we get off track, to a little degree or to a very large one, but still know the truth.  We still know that only One saves, only One is the answer … But how to get back to him?  ‘Even back to finding your satisfaction in him alone—whether or not you had walked completely away…

With Jesus, you can always go Home.   Oh, my dears, he was aware when you began distancing yourself from him—even if you were not--and he has been waiting for you to come home.  ‘Doubt me?  How long has it been since you looked upon the Prodigal Son, remembering the love of the Father who watched and waited for his child to return home?

 Have you considered that we become the Prodigal when

       -we compromise

        -we forget what we knew

         -we forget what God has done

          -we let other things crowd God out

           -we look to worldly pleasures to satisfy

            -we go elsewhere for love

             -we place expectations on others to do for us

              what only God can do

               -we become the Prodigal when we forget where Home is,

               or refuse to go there . . . 

I believe that shades of the Prodigal’s thinking are always threatening to encroach upon us—so much so, that we often fail to see their effect upon us.

Do you feel estranged from God?  Turn around, and run back.  Would you say that you just don’t “FEEL” him?  Seek him out.  Give him some quiet in which to meet you in your time.  I think that you will find what Henri Nouwen did in Rembrandt’s painting: “The somewhat stiff hands of the father rest on the prodigal’s shoulders with the everlasting divine blessing: “You are my Beloved, on you my favor rests.”