When He Came to Himself

In Jesus' story, the younger son ended up feeding pigs in a far country. Then the Bible says, “But when he came to himself” (Luke 15:17). It was like waking up from a long, bad dream. The Bible tells about many people who woke up like that and came back to God.

Our own way. “All we like sheep have gone astray; We have turned, every one, to his own way” (Isaiah 53:6). Every person has chosen their own way instead of God's way. Sin makes us think we know better than God.

Looking back. Paul asked believers, “What fruit did you have then in the things of which you are now ashamed? For the end of those things is death” (Romans 6:21). The younger son's plan seemed good to him. He did not see where it would end until everything was gone.

Hard times can wake us up. A psalm writer told God that before he went through hard times he went astray, but now he kept God's word. He even said it was good for him to have had those hard times, because they taught him God's ways (Psalm 119:67, 71).

Not a sign that God is angry. Hard times do not mean God has stopped loving you. But God can use them to turn a heart back to Him.

Solomon's prayer. When King Solomon gave the temple to God, he prayed about a day when God's people might sin and be carried away to an enemy land, far or near. He asked God to listen when they came to themselves there, confessed that they had sinned and turned back with all their heart. Then he begged God to forgive them (1 Kings 8:46-50).

A prayer God heard. Years later God's people really were carried away to Babylon. Far from home, Daniel prayed and confessed that they had sinned, and he begged the Lord to hear and forgive (Daniel 9:5, 19).

A proud king wakes up. King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon was full of pride, and God humbled him. Afterward he said that he lifted his eyes to heaven and his understanding came back to him. Then he praised the Most High God (Daniel 4:34).

Thinking about your ways. Another psalm writer said that he thought about his ways and turned his feet back to God's words (Psalm 119:59). Waking up means stopping long enough to look honestly at where you are going.

Jesus opens the way. We cannot find our way back to God by ourselves. “For Christ also suffered once for sins, the just for the unjust, that He might bring us to God” (1 Peter 3:18). Jesus died for us and rose again, so the way home is open.

What we learn. If you realize you have been going your own way, do not stay in the far country. That moment of seeing clearly is God calling you home.

When the younger son decided to go home, he planned his words: “Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you” (Luke 15:18). The Bible shows that coming back to God includes honest words.

Take words with you. The prophet Hosea told Israel to take words with them and return to the Lord. He told them to ask God to take away all their sin and to receive them graciously (Hosea 14:1-2). God was teaching His people what to say when they came home.

God's answer. Then God said through Hosea that He would heal them from turning away and would love them freely (Hosea 14:4). Freely means they could not pay for His love. It was a gift.

Look at your ways. In the book of Lamentations, God's people encouraged each other to search out and examine their ways, and to turn back to the Lord (Lamentations 3:40). Honest words come from an honest look at our own hearts.

With God's help. “So you, by the help of your God, return” (Hosea 12:6). We do not come back to God by our own strength. He helps us every step of the way.

God comes to meet us. Through the prophet Zechariah, God told His people to return to Him, and He promised that He would return to them (Zechariah 1:3). As we turn toward God, He comes toward us.

No excuses. Words that come home are honest. They do not blame other people or pretend that sin was small. They simply agree with God: I have sinned.

Why mercy is possible. Our words do not pay God back, any more than the son's plan to be a hired servant could (Luke 15:19). Jesus died on the cross to pay for our sin, and He rose again on the third day. Because of Him, God can forgive everyone who comes. The Bible promises, “whoever calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved” (Romans 10:13).

Words you can pray. You can use simple words. Tell God that you have sinned against Him. Tell Him you are sorry. Ask Him to forgive you because Jesus died for you, and ask Him to help you follow Him.

What we learn. When you come back to God, you do not need fancy words. You need true words. Tell Him what you did, ask for His mercy and trust Jesus.