A story is told of a man who had two sons and one of the boys, due to youthful exuberance and abused privileges, chose to turn his back on the mentoring, and teachings of his father.
Their old loving dad had prepared his will and had actually prepared an estate that would be bequeathed to his sons after his demise. Still, due to the impatience of one of the sons, he decided to throw away all the teachings and fatherly care with affection offered to them both.
The other son chose to be obedient and yielded to all that their father had to impart to them. Life is usually a choice! The father lamented when he discovered that one of his sons has despised all he had taught him since childhood. A single dad, who has given all, in order for his children to be morally equipped enough to manage his estate when he dies. But even in this situation, he did not give up on his boy…he said in his prayers… “My son will not be carried away carelessly by the frivolities of life and the trend of the so-called perverted civilised world”.
Lost in the NOW-Trend
Eventually, the boy wandered away from home with fortunes that his fathers had laboured and kept for him. After a period of time within the trendy, lawless, and careless atmosphere which the boy desired so much and got distracted by, he suffered and got trapped into depression, rejection, humiliation and self-pity. He then came to his senses and remembered the teachings and the love his father showered on. Though he initially despised and threw all these back at his dad, but at this point, he decided to take a step back, think, and make amends.
Making Every Effort
The Apostle Peter made it so clear in his epistle… “So then, dear friends, since you are looking forward to this, make every effort to be found spotless, blameless and at peace with him.” (2 Peter 3:14). The way to have peace in this world is to seek to be at peace with our Creator. There is no alternative route to having peace here on earth. The notion and theologies of some have spelled out that everything has to be done in civilised ways, but there is still a need to strive to be blameless and spotless before God by His grace if we are to experience fulfillment in life.
The evidence of this truth will be confirmed by the Holy Spirit, who lives inside you and me. We are therefore only required to accept and confess that He is the Lord and follow the footpath of Jesus. When He leads, you are to follow because He is “the way, the truth and the life” (John 14:6).
Therefore, you would not have the experience the lost boy in the story above had, because your acceptance, confession and obedience with making every effort would result in you enjoying the much-needed peace with God.
Even if you have wandered away from your Maker or been distracted from making the required effort that leads to entering into the peace of God, God is patient, and loving and His patience is based on giving us another chance to come back to the place of the Cross. “Bear in mind that our Lord’s patience means salvation…” (2 Peter 3:15a).
