Slop Bucket Repentance

And He said, “A man had two sons. The younger of them said to his father, ‘Father, give me the share of the estate that falls to me.’ So he divided his wealth between them. And not many days later, the younger son gathered everything together and went on a journey into a distant country, and there he squandered his estate with loose living. Now when he had spent everything, a severe famine occurred in that country, and he began to be impoverished. So he went and hired himself out to one of the citizens of that country, and he sent him into his fields to feed swine. And he would have gladly filled his stomach with the pods that the swine were eating, and no one was giving anything to him. But when he came to his senses, he said, ‘How many of my father's hired men have more than enough bread, but I am dying here with hunger! I will get up and go to my father, and will say to him, “Father, I have sinned against heaven, and in your sight; I am no longer worthy to be called your son; make me as one of your hired men.”’ So he got up and came to his father...” Luke 15:11-20

The young man who demanded his inheritance from his father and ran away had no idea he would end up penniless in a hog pen. His plans had been so good, his dreams so wonderful, much better than the ones his father had. What went wrong?

Understand that this son did not walk out the door and straight to the pigs; his trip was gradual. The farther he traveled in his self-deception, the harder it was for him to admit he was wrong. And his father let him make his own decisions. He didn’t demand that the son come back, or chase after him, or protect him from the mounting consequences of his destructive actions. Instead, the father allowed him to experience the full effects of his folly. Finally, in absolute despair, the son made a wise decision - to go home.

When you choose to follow your own misguided desires instead of the Lord’s direction, you start down the road to your own spiritual “hog pen.” Maybe you made a deliberate decision to disobey one of God’s commands, or perhaps you have drifted slowly down a path of compromise. As His child, you are already forgiven. With a humble and contrite spirit, you can return to full fellowship with your Savior at any time. Right now.

“...he came to his senses...”