Not long after that, the younger son got together all he had, he set off for a distant country and there squandered his wealth in wild living. From Luke 15.
In Jesus’ parable of the Prodigal Son in Luke, the son takes his inheritance in cash and “sets off for a distant country.” In Jesus day His listeners understood a distant country. Any far country he visited would be hostile and dangerous. Leaving home for a distant country meant he was leaving his family, his heritage, his security, his life behind. He was, in essence, abandoning his home. Leaving his father’s will, protection and influence for his own self-will.
Do you have a distant country? A place you wander, hoping to find a better life, a better wife, a better job, a better church? Or maybe it’s an area of life you know The Father’s won’t approve. Maybe our distant country is well-rationalized sin and rebellion.
Whatever our distant country, we soon discover we’re on our own. Our friends leave, our resources evaporate, and we find ourselves isolated and alone. Full of regret, remembering how good we had it at home.
