We’re all like sheep who’ve wandered off and gotten lost. We’ve all done our own thing, gone our own way. And GOD has piled all our sins, everything we’ve done wrong, on him, on him.

Isaiah 53:6 (The Message) 

He got right up and went home to his father. "When he was still a long way off, his father saw him. His heart pounding, he ran out, embraced him, and kissed him. 

Luke 15:20 (The Message)  

Have you ever decided to take a route that you have never taken before and wound up not having a clue as to where you were?  Perhaps you have taken one of those short cuts that was supposed to save time and, in the end, cost you a lot more than time.

  

I do a lot of driving for my job.  Most days I love it.  Some days I like it. And other days, it’s not so much fun.  One thing that makes my job fun is taking the back roads.  I love taking the back roads.  Since my driving responsibilities cover a lot of miles, I have plenty of opportunity to take the back roads.  There have been a few back road explorations that have not gone too well.  The only way that I have found my way out of my little adventures is that I knew the direction I had to go to “get there” or “get back,” and I carry a compass with me.  The compass has saved me quite a few times from wandering too far and too long.  There have also been times that I have wandered because I was not paying attention to the map I had or the directions I was given.

 

There are a lot of times that we end up wandering in our Christian lives.  Whether we end up wandering because of an intentional choice or because of not paying attention, we usually end up much farther from where we want to be - actually from where we should be.  We convince ourselves that, as we are wandering, we know the way to go and will eventually find the path that we should be on.  And then, when we finally let the realization sink in that we have wandered too far, we try to find our own way back   It is not until we humble ourselves and admit that we cannot find our own way back that we can begin to find restoration in the only One who can.  It is not until we take out our Compass and trust Him to lead us back to the right way that we can get back to the right way.

 

The prodigal son came to his sense while sitting in the pig pen, contemplating the choice of cuisine before him – pig slop or the feast at his father’s table.  The pig slop was available immediately but by no means satisfying.  The feast at his father’s table required humility.  It required that he returned to the place where he left his father’s will.  As for the father the passage indicated that the father was watching for the son to return, and when the father saw the prodigal in the distance, he ran to the son and embraced him.  Mercy and love had left the lights on, and the prodigal had followed their bright beacon to find his way home.

 

I wonder as I write if there are those out there on the other side of this computer screen who are at the point of realization, at the cross road of knowing that they are wandering too far from the Father.  Perhaps you are still wandering in the delusion that you know where you are going, that you are doing the right thing, yet you know deep inside that you are not doing what is right.  For those of you who are there right now, God loves you beyond your wildest imagination and desires that you come home to some good home cookin’.  He is calling you to put down the husks and slop of the pig pen and urging you to come home to the robe, the ring, and the feast.  Our heavenly Father has left the light on; He has given you the Compass to point you home.  For those of you who are wandering in the darkness of unbelief, the light of the Cross shines brightly beckoning you into a life of freedom, forgiveness, and Grace.  It shines brightly as that majestic beacon of salvation.  Will you not come to the Cross before it is too late?  Or perhaps you are a believer who has been wandering too far and too long.  Isn’t it time to come home?  Isn’t it time to set aside your pride and humble yourself and return to your Heavenly Father?  I can imagine that in your wandering you have become tired and wounded and filthy dirty.  It’s time to come home, Wanderer.  It’s time to set aside your pride and come back to what is right and true.  God waits for you to welcome you with open arms of love.  Can you not hear the tender call of Christ?  Can you not hear Him calling you to return to your first Love?  He has come out to search for you, will you listen?  Come home, Wandering Heart.  God has left the light on for you.  Whether you are wandering in the darkness of unbelief or the darkness of your own way, come home.  The light of God’s Mercy, Grace, and Love is on.

 m. r. cetas

 

 Wandering Heart

Written by: Marty Funderburk and Kevin Ward

Sung by: Lord’s Song

 

Verse 1:

You’ve been hurt.

I understand.

I know your life has not turned out the way you planned.

You can run.

You can hide.

But how can you escape the love

That cannot be denied?

 

Chorus:

Wandering heart....

You’ve been gone so long.

Wandering heart.....

It’s time to come back home.

There’s a light of hope still shining....

Mercy leaves it on

So your wandering heart

Can find it’s way back

Home.

 

Verse 2:

Turn around.

You’re not too far.

Take one step and God will meet you where you are.

He’ll forgive.

He’ll forget.

And He will not remind you of the things you now regret.

 

(Chorus)

 

Bridge:

Come home.

Come home.

Come home.

Ye who are weary come home.

 

Tag: There’s a light of hope still shining...

Mercy leaves it on....

So your wandering heart

Can find it’s way

Back home........

Come home.

 © 2004 Winding Way Music/ASCAP (a division of Daywind Music Publishing)/Sunset

Gallery Music/BMI. All rights reserved.

 

 When I Survey / The Wonderful Cross

by Isaac Watts and Chris Tomlin

 

When I survey the wondrous cross

On which the Prince of Glory died

My richest gain I count but loss

And pour contempt on all my pride

 

Forbid it Lord that I should boast,

Save in the death of Christ my God.

All the vain things that Charm me most,

I sacrifice them to His blood.

 

O the wonderful cross!

O the wonderful cross!

Bids me come and die to find that I may truly live

O the wonderful cross!

O the wonderful cross!

All who gather here by grace draw near to bless Your name

 

See, from His head, His hands, His feet

Sorrow and love flow mingled down

Did e’er such love and sorrow meet

Or thorns compose so rich a crown

 

O the wonderful cross!

O the wonderful cross!

Bids me come and die to find that I may truly live

O the wonderful cross!

O the wonderful cross!

All who gather here by grace draw near to bless Your name

 

Were the whole realm of nature mine

That were a present for too small

Love so amazing, so divine

Demands my soul, my life, my all

 

Public Domain