When your Plans Turns to Ashes

Scriptures:  Jer.29:10-11; Luke 15:11-24

Greetings “Fan”-tastic Passengers,

In life everyone, especially the youths, possesses dreams and aspirations, and eagerly anticipate leaving home, to start a life on their own.  Notwithstanding, we sometimes discover, the hard way, that life does not always go according to our plans.  Ultimately, obeying God is the only way to find lasting joy and contentment in whatever dreams and aspirations we pursue in life.  Why do we then, sometimes doubt that God’s way is better than ours, as we hastily divert from the narrow path, in order to pursue our desires, while ignoring the Holy Spirit and rejecting scriptural principles?  Our own ways might satisfy us for a time. However, rebelling against God’s ways always ends in disappointment and eventually turns to ashes.
 
You and I are furnished with the capacity to make choices
 
Scripture in Luke 15:11-24, in the parable of the prodigal son, we see the father, who represents, God the Father of all mankind, having two sons, who were of two different characteristics and mind-set.  The younger son had big dreams and aspirations of moving on into the world, and wasting his substance on riotous living.   To this end, his father gave him his inheritance and he was allowed to leave home (Mal.2:10; Rom.3:29).  This young man, obviously, had been dreaming about being on his own for quite some time, as he deliberately planned to waste his substance, on riotous living, by choosing a reckless and immoral lifestyle.  Although his father might have known this, he did not deny his son, the right to his choice, of leaving home.  Why?

Our Heavenly Father and Creator of us all, has given us the freedom to make choices and decisions in life.  If that were not the case, then, we would be like emotionless robots, which are simply programmed to follow God’s commands. Nevertheless, He has furnished us with the capacity to choose good or evil.  Furthermore, Scripture in Deuteronomy 30:15-16 tells us that the Lord has: “…set before thee this day life and good, and death and evil; In that I command thee this day to love the Lord thy God, to walk in his ways, and to keep his commandments and his statutes and his judgments, that thou mayest live and multiply: and the Lord thy God shall bless thee in the land whither thou goest to possess it.”

Choosing to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season
 
Everyone should be sober in life to ask of themselves, the following question:  What is enjoyable about rebelling against the Lord?  In fact, when we choose to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season, indeed, it fulfills a desire, which only lasts for a moment.  Sometimes in life, the fact that something is forbidden, can increase its appeal, to an individual. Nevertheless, we must be wise in our choices, remembering that, sin also usually offers immediate gratification, which leaves us in paying the consequences afterwards. 

We see this wayward behaviour being displayed in the younger son, who wanted his inheritance early.   In addition, disobedience is pleasurable in some ways, but only for a short time.  Nevertheless, we can choose to be like Moses the Servant of God, in our decisions in life, as we choose:  “…rather to suffer affliction with the people of God, than to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season; esteeming the reproach of Christ greater riches…,” than what the Egypt of this world has to offer (Heb.11:25-26).
The Prodigal Son traveled far from home in order to escape his father’s restraints. Why? He wanted to follow his passions, regardless of the cost, so he chose to live immorally and waste his inheritance (Luke 15:15, 30). Although he started with plenty, he ended up with nothing. He lost his morality, fortune, companions, and self-respect.
 
Why do you and I disobey God’s will for our lives?
 
One reason is that Satan deceives and encourages us to focus on our immediate desires rather than consider things from an eternal perspective.  We forget about the blessings that we already enjoy and fail to think about the consequences of wrong choices. This perspective, however, is like fire, which will burn and destroy to ashes, our moral, financial and spiritual lives.
 
God warns us that our sins will find us out
 
Consider this, when a house burns down, nothing is left but ashes, of all which existed there before the fire.  We must, therefore, remember that, sin may look appealing, but it leads to destruction and ruin.  There are always consequences to disobedience, and no one can get away with sin, as Scripture tells us that:  …behold, ye have sinned against the Lord: and be sure your sin will find you out” (Num. 32:23). 
 
Physically, we know what ashes are. But what are these ashes in a spiritual sense? They are the remains of disobedience and rebellion.  For example, immorality leaves behind guilt and emptiness.  A dishonest business deal undermines one’s self-worth. A critical spirit leads to loneliness, and negativity can result in, believer or not, chronic anxiety.  
 
As individuals, you and I may be able to wear a façade, for a while, as we attempt to hide and cover up the external consequences of sin in our lives.   Nonetheless, unless we turn from the sin and its consequences, it will eventually, burn to ashes, all which we have chased after and acquired, outside of the will of God.
 
God offers us forgiveness, acceptance, restoration and rejoicing
 
The Prodigal Son, in his rebellion against his father’s government, had to feed pigs, one of the most demeaning jobs any Hebrew could imagine. The animals were deemed unclean according to Jewish law and not fit for consumption.
 
Once his money was gone, no one wanted him.  To his surprise, even His so-called friends were not willing to help him find decent work, much less to care for his daily needs. 
 
Jesus told this parable to the Pharisees. Why?  As law-abiding religious leaders, they were critical of His association with sinners and tax collectors.  Jesus Christ in His earthly ministry, wanted to reveal the heart of God the Father, which He has for the broken people of this world.
 
When the prodigal son, came to his senses and decided to go back home, the father in the parable, who represents God, ran towards his repentant son. The young man asked for a job as a servant, but his father called for a ring, a robe, and a feast. Why?  The son may have left home, but he never stopped being a member of the family.  So, rather than just offering forgiveness, the father delighted in restoring all the benefits of sonship to him. 
 
You and I can have hope, even when we find our lives, in ashes.  The first step, is that we must quickly, however, come to our senses like the Prodigal Son did (Luke 15:17).  We have to admit that life would be better if we were within God’s will, enjoying a loving relationship with Him and submitting to Him daily.
 
Those who have never trusted Jesus Christ, as Saviour must first accept His forgiveness in exchange for a lifetime of rebellion.  At that moment, the Holy Spirit of God seals them for eternity as His children.
 
You see, Jesus paid our sin debt in full when He went to the cross.  Therefore, those of us who are born-again believers are already forgiven for every transgression, past, present, and future.
 
Does that mean you and I will not suffer as a result of our rebellion? No.
 
The Prodigal Son lost his purity, inheritance, and most of all, wasted his time.  Sin might cost us opportunities, health, finances, or relationships. God does not necessarily remove the natural consequences of our poor choices.  But we will not pay an eternal price for sin, Jesus Christ handled that debt already (Rom. 6:23).  Regarding our daily sanctification, Scripture also says that:  “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness” (1 John 1:9).
 
In conclusion, has your life been reduced to nothing but ashes?  Perhaps the devastation is obvious to everyone, or maybe the fires and smokes of sin have burned away on the inside, leaving mostly internal damage. Our Heavenly Father can bring restoration, no matter how devastating the destruction may seem in one’s life.  Nevertheless, you must come to your senses and admit that you have wandered out of His will, turn away from rebellion, and allow God to demonstrate His amazing grace, mercy, forgiveness, acceptance, restoration, and rejoicing, which awaits you at the throne of grace.   The Word of the Lord to us today, comes from the Prophet Jeremiah, in Jeremiah 29:11, which says:   “For I know the plans I have for you . . . plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.”  Sin may have caused everything about one’s life to appear hopeless and in despair.  Nevertheless, I encourage us all to remember that, when our plans turn to ashes, God has a plan for us, which is perfect and good.
 
Stay strong!  Stay encouraged!

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Your Conductor,
Joy
©Creed's Melody
'Positive Message: Diverse Cultures'

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