“Not long after that, the younger son got together all he had, set off for a distant country and there squandered his wealth in wild living. After he had spent everything, there was severe famine in that whole country, and he began to be in need. So, he went and hired himself out to a citizen of that country, who sent him to his fields to feed pigs.”
Luke 15:13-15
Tuesday, September 1st, 2026
Devotional written by Steve Day, Care Pastor
DRIFTING FROM GOD
You can know God and yet be far from Him. Because of our choices, we can drift away from God. It’s not something we plan to do, but it can happen. Jesus tells the story of a young man who made a wrong decision and what happened to him. We call it the parable of the prodigal son. It’s the story of a father and two sons. The older son is the compliant, obedient brother, and the younger is the egocentric brother. As the story goes, the younger brother takes his inheritance and turns his back on the family. He goes to a distant country, where he spends all his money on loose living. When pride takes over, we drift.
- He was selfish. He selfishly disregarded his father. All he wanted was money.
- He acted hastily. The passage says he went to a “distant country.” This phrase symbolizes anything that separates us from God’s Will.
- He distanced himself from good relationships. He rejected everything good and holy.
- He made several poor decisions. Sin always works that way. He ended up living with the pigs.
God often leaves us to ourselves. Remember, God hasn’t gone anywhere; we have. Only when we finally hit rock bottom do we begin to think about returning home.
Final Thought: You’ve heard it said, “home is where the heart is.” Give Jesus your heart today, and you’re home. John 3:16