Dear Children,
Today I would like to tell you about Skamper our cat and also the prodigal son. First I need to tell you about Skamper. Our dog Chelsea and Skamper get along really well together. In fact, sometimes they will chase each other just for fun. Usually Skamper will end up climbing a tree, and that’s the end of the fun.
Four nights ago we let Skamper go outside like we usually do, but this time he didn’t come back. Each morning and through the day Gramma would call, “Skamper, Skamper,” but Skamper never showed up. Chelsea wandered around the property sniffing tracks in the snow, wondering where her friend had gone.
Now I’ll tell you about the prodigal son. This story is found in Luke 15:11-3211And he said, A certain man had two sons: 12And the younger of them said to his father, Father, give me the portion of goods that falleth to me. And he divided unto them his living. 13And not many days after the younger son gathered all together, and took his journey into a far country, and there wasted his substance with riotous living. 14And when he had spent all, there arose a mighty famine in that land; and he began to be in want. 15And he went and joined himself to a citizen of that country; and he sent him into his fields to feed swine. 16And he would fain have filled his belly with the husks that the swine did eat: and no man gave unto him. 17And when he came to himself, he said, How many hired servants of my father's have bread enough and to spare, and I perish with hunger! 18I will arise and go to my father, and will say unto him, Father, I have sinned against heaven, and before thee, 19And am no more worthy to be called thy son: make me as one of thy hired servants. 20And he arose, and came to his father. But when he was yet a great way off, his father saw him, and had compassion, and ran, and fell on his neck, and kissed him. 21And the son said unto him, Father, I have sinned against heaven, and in thy sight, and am no more worthy to be called thy son. 22But the father said to his servants, Bring forth the best robe, and put it on him; and put a ring on his hand, and shoes on his feet: 23And bring hither the fatted calf, and kill it; and let us eat, and be merry: 24For this my son was dead, and is alive again; he was lost, and is found. And they began to be merry. 25Now his elder son was in the field: and as he came and drew nigh to the house, he heard music and dancing. 26And he called one of the servants, and asked what these things meant. 27And he said unto him, Thy brother is come; and thy father hath killed the fatted calf, because he hath received him safe and sound. 28And he was angry, and would not go in: therefore came his father out, and entreated him. 29And he answering said to his father, Lo, these many years do I serve thee, neither transgressed I at any time thy commandment: and yet thou never gavest me a kid, that I might make merry with my friends: 30But as soon as this thy son was come, which hath devoured thy living with harlots, thou hast killed for him the fatted calf. 31And he said unto him, Son, thou art ever with me, and all that I have is thine. 32It was meet that we should make merry, and be glad: for this thy brother was dead, and is alive again; and was lost, and is found. (Luke 15:11‑32). If you don’t know the story already, it would be good for you to read it. But I will tell you a little about it. A certain man had two sons, and the younger son asked his father to give him the portion of goods that belonged to him, and so the father divided his goods and gave each son his share.
Now this younger son is called the “prodigal” son because he was a careless, reckless and wasteful person. He took the money his father had given him and went on a journey to a country far away, and he wasted all of it on the way he lived. Soon he had nothing left and was in danger of starving. What a shameful son he was!
In the meantime, the father was waiting and watching for his prodigal son to come back home. But will this shameful son ever turn around and come back to his father?
Children, I will tell you later what happened to the son. But now let’s go back to Skamper who had left home too.
Gramma and Chelsea and I were wondering what had happened to Skamper. Four days is a long time. Had he died? Did some wolf or coyote catch him? Skamper has a nice bed to curl up on, food to eat, water to drink, so why would he leave all this behind and go away? Sounds like the prodigal son, doesn’t it?
On the fourth night after supper when it was dark outside, Chelsea started to bark, just like someone had come to the house. So Gramma and I went to the front window and looked out. Nope, nobody was there. But Chelsea kept walking around, trying to tell us that someone had come! So I said, “Okay, okay, Chelsea, we’ll look out the back door.” I don’t like opening the back door in cold, windy weather with snow on the ground, because cold air blows into the house. But I opened the door, and guess who we saw sitting as close to the door as possible and meeeowing?
Yes, it was Skamper! And was he ever glad to see us, and Chelsea’s tail was wagging a-mile-a-minute! Our prodigal cat had returned, but he was not in very good condition. His eyes had blood around them, his nose was scratched, and his front leg was cut and bleeding. So Gramma had to clean him up before we fed him and put him into his bed. If Skamper had stayed at home, this would not have happened, but we were so glad to have him back again!
The prodigal son in the Bible story wasn’t in very good condition either after his money ran out. The only job he could get was feeding a farmer’s pigs, and he finally got so hungry he wanted to eat the pig food. He had no bed to sleep in and nobody gave him anything.
Finally he said to himself, Why am I living like this? Even my father’s servants have plenty to eat. I will go back to my father and say to him, Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you, and I’m not worthy to be called your son. Make me one of your hired servants. So the prodigal son went back home, starving and dressed in his dirty rags.
What a joy it was for the father to see his son coming along that dusty road! It makes us think of the words of the Lord Jesus in John 6:3737All that the Father giveth me shall come to me; and him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out. (John 6:37), “Him that cometh to Me I will in no wise cast out.” When the son reached his father who ran to meet him, he said, Father, I have sinned against heaven and in your sight and am no more worthy to be called your son.
And this is what the father said to his servants: Bring the best clothes and put them on him, and kill a fat calf and let us have a feast! For my son was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found!
What a joyful reunion for all! And so, children, the prodigal son and Skamper remind us of the sin of disobedience. But the prodigal son was willing to confess his sin to his father, and his father forgave him! And God our Father is willing to forgive your sins if you will come to Him and confess that you are a sinner and that you believe that Jesus shed His blood to cleanse you from your sins. God tells us in Jeremiah 31:3434And they shall teach no more every man his neighbor, and every man his brother, saying, Know the Lord: for they shall all know me, from the least of them unto the greatest of them, saith the Lord: for I will forgive their iniquity, and I will remember their sin no more. (Jeremiah 31:34), “I will forgive their iniquity, and I will remember their sin no more.” What a wonderful promise for anyone who will come to the Lord Jesus to be washed clean from his or her sins!
So our two stories about Skamper and the prodigal son both have happy endings ... Skamper came home and the prodigal son came home. Now, how about you? Are you still out there in this world of sin thinking that nobody loves you? You are wrong, because God loves you very, very much, and He is waiting and watching for you to “come home” to Him to have your sins forgiven. Will you come right now?
“God commendeth His love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us” (Romans 5:88But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. (Romans 5:8)). “The Son of God, who loved me, and gave Himself for me” (Galatians 2:2020I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me. (Galatians 2:20)).
ML-07/19/2009