To God Be The Glory

Driving Directions: How to get to Restoration Drive

When we find ourselves lost, it's crucial to pause and seek assistance. Continuing along the same path while being lost only exacerbates the situation. What's even worse, though, than being lost, is not realizing that you are lost, as this ignorance keeps the door to help firmly shut.

Without God, man is spiritually adrift, unable to find his way on his own. Man often lacks the inclination to seek God's guidance. The apostle Paul emphasizes that we are all sinners and that "there is no one who understands, no one who seeks God" (Romans 3:11b, 23).

Without the guidance of the Holy Spirit, man lacks the necessary directions, wisdom, and spiritual navigation to return to God, to find the straight and narrow path leading back to Him. Consequently, God had to provide a roadmap for our return.

When we couldn't find our way, God made a way (John 14:6). "While we were yet sinners, Christ died for us" (Romans 5:8). Through Jesus Christ's death, burial, and resurrection, the way to restoration is now accessible. We have directions for our journey back.

In Luke 15:11 through 24, we find an excellent example of a young man who lost his way by heading in the wrong direction. He traveled down various streets, freeways, turnpikes, and alleys before finally finding the path to restoration.

The story is filled with twists, sharp curves, speed bumps, and potholes that should have served as warnings. The Lord often uses such obstacles to caution us, wake us up, slow us down, and redirect us toward the road leading to Him.

In Luke 15:11-12, we witness a young man leaving his father's house, convinced that his chosen direction was justified and necessary. However, prior to leaving his father's house, this young man was entirely self-centered. He was headed for Selfish Street. Listen to his request:

"There was a man who had two sons. The younger one said to his father, 'Father, give me my share of the estate.' So, he divided his property between them."

Selfish Street is a path not taken by accident. Usually, when we venture down this street, we are fully aware of it. We utter phrases like "it's my way or no way," "I'm grown, I can make my own decisions," or "it's my thing, I do what I want to do." On Selfish Street, our thoughts are consumed by self-interest. We echo Frank Sinatra's sentiment, singing, "I Did It My Way."

On Selfish Street, neither mama nor daddy can sway us. In fact, on Selfish Street, even God's words fall on deaf ears with hardened hearts. Here, one's focus is solely on themselves.

Listen to the prodigal son as he selfishly claims his independence, saying, "Father, give me my share of the estate." So, the father divided his property between them.

The prodigal son hasn't experienced much of the world yet, but he makes an audacious demand. His basic needs, such as food, clothing, and shelter, were all provided for by his father. He is still inexperienced, yet he insists on claiming his share of the estate. What had he accumulated to call his own?

It's worth noting that the father never engages in a conversation with the boy, at least not according to the text. He simply divides his property between the younger son and the older brother. Scholars have concluded that the father symbolizes our heavenly Father – all-wise, all-knowing, eternally giving, and forgiving.

The text doesn't explicitly mention it, but surely the father's heart aches. No doubt, the father had dreams and aspirations for his son, much like God does for us. Dreams of seeing his son achieve heights that he himself had not reached – not just in terms of material wealth, but morally, intellectually, socially, and spiritually. Nevertheless, it's essential to remember that God has granted humanity free will – a boundary even our heavenly Father respects. "So he divided his property between them."

The old proverb, "be careful what you ask for, because you just might get it," comes to mind. The father grants his son's wish, and he sets out on his own – free, determined to be self-reliant, and above all, materially satisfied.

Next, in verse 13, we see the young man taking a detour onto the Party Hardy Freeway. "Not long after that, the younger son gathered all he had, journeyed to a distant country, and there wasted his wealth in wild living" (Luke 15:13).

The Party Hardy Freeway leads the young man away from God and away from his father's house, taking him to a place referred to as a 'distant country.' This freeway leads to a realm where good times roll around the clock. Day and night, he indulges in eating, drinking, merrymaking, womanizing, and lavish spending with newfound friends. In those times, the distant country could have easily been places like Carthage, Alexandria, Antioch, or Rome, enticing those who seek to squander their health and wealth.

Today, the Party Hardy Freeway leads to hotspots like the Las Vegas Strip, the French Quarter in New Orleans, and gambling casinos in Louisiana, Texas, and Mississippi.

The distant country doesn't necessarily refer to far-off lands; it can encompass any space or separation between a person and God. Anything that comes between you and God, whether it's a person, place, thing, or thought, places you in the distant country. It's not about physical distance or location; it's about spiritual disconnection. It's about the state of your relationship with God. When our choices lead us away from the right path, we find ourselves in a distant country.

The prodigal son's recklessness and stubbornness took him away from his father's house and thrust him into a world for which he was unprepared. On the Party Hardy Freeway, he ventured his own way, forgetting the warning that "there is a way that seems right to a man, but its end is the way to death." Regrettably, he squandered the blessings his father had bestowed on him through unrighteous living.