Category: Practical Apps

The Prodigal – What the locusts have eaten.

~ Sowmya Gali

Joel 2: 25 – 26

Then I will make up to you for the years that the swarming locust has eaten, the creeping locust, the stripping locust and the gnawing locust, My great army which I sent among you. You will have plenty to eat and be satisfied and praise the name of the Lord your God, who has dealt wondrously with you; then My people will never be put to shame.

Our Pastor’s wife invited the ladies of the church for a special prayer – a prayer for the prodigals. Never before have I been invited to participate in a prayer meeting such as this. We’ve prayed for salvation of people in our lives, healing of the sick, praying for the nation etc., but never praying for a prodigal. As I was preparing for the event, I was contemplating of the situations where you have a prodigal in your life and how uncomfortable it is going to be.

So, who is a prodigal? As I was trying to derive the meaning of a prodigal, the only definition that kept coming back to me was the one described in the ‘Parable of the Prodigal Son’ – a child who enjoyed in the lap of luxury in his/her father’s home, wanted more, left the home with the inheritance, squandered, realized his/her folly, humbled himself/herself and returned home. Spiritually speaking, a child brought up in the Word of God, desiring to explore what the world has to offer, leaves home with the moral values, squanders the values by compromising, realizes the emptiness, humbles and returns home into the waiting arms of the parents.

In the meantime, parents are left wondering if their precious child will ever return. The guilt that the parents live through each day, wondering where they have gone wrong in bringing up that child. The guilt gnaws at their hearts, day after day, month after month and year after year. The relationship with their child teeters on the edge. If anything, they do or say, may push them over the edge. They are walking on eggshells when they are around them. What topics could trigger an outburst or will enlarge the gulf in between them. With such anxious thoughts, the parents live each day in anticipation, and hoping for a miracle.

The Israelites were the prodigals in the book of Joel and God was speaking to them through the prophet. When they wandered off and followed other gods, squandering the inheritance that God blessed them with, they found themselves enslaved to the enemy.  They realized the goodness they had when they were obedient to God. Our Heavenly Father who is zealous for His own, squashed the enemy, restored His children back to the land and restored to them multifold. The years that they spent in exile and enslaved, those precious years, also were restored. The years that the swarming locust, creeping locust, stripping locust and the gnawing locust has robbed us of our family’s joy and peace, God is promising that He will make it up for us.

Dearly beloved, take heart! You may have a prodigal in your life now for whom you have shed and still crying countless tears at the feet of Jesus. Your life has been deeply impacted because of the choices they made. He sees your helpless state. He sees your anxieties. He sees your tears. Take heart! Be strong! Persevere through those tears to cling to the Faithful One who loves your prodigal also. The seed sown in them is dormant but will come alive and bear fruit one day soon. Don’t give up on your prodigal because our Lord will never give up on him/her. May our good and gracious Lord envelope you in His embrace and give you hope and comfort that the day is sooner than you expected when your prodigal is back in the fold of God.

Position Yourself

~ Sowmya Gali

2 Chronicles 20: 17

You will not need to fight in this battle. Position yourselves, stand still and see the salvation of the Lord, who is with you, O Judah and Jerusalem!’ Do not fear or be dismayed; tomorrow go out against them, for the Lord is with you.

King Jehoshaphat, the king of Judah, found himself and his kingdom surrounded by not one enemy but three. Word came to him that a great multitude is coming against him. Fear gripped him and not knowing what else to do, he turned to the Lord. In the past, God rescued him from battles. He had been a righteous king for the nation of Judah. He followed God faithfully and did everything just as King David (2 Chronicles 17: 3). He tore down the high places of Baal (2 Chronicles 17: 6).

Additionally, he appointed teachers to teach the Word of God in all Judah. Together with some priests, they traveled all through Judah teaching the commandments of the Lord from the Book of the Law (2 Chronicles 17: 7-9). Jehoshaphat understood that the people were ignorant of the Law of God, because his forefathers strayed away from the Lord. Because of lack of righteous kings before him, the people of Judah were unaware of the Law of God. Jehoshaphat was wise enough to first educate people in the Law of God so the people would return to righteous ways. He appointed righteous judges in each city of Judah to render righteous judgment (2 Chronicles 19: 5-6). The surrounding nations were in dread because of God’s hand on Jehoshaphat and Judah. Instead of waging war, they brought in tribute. Despite his misstep of befriending wicked Ahab, the king of Israel, he sought the Lord’s counsel, and the Lord was with him.

When three enemies surrounded him, Jehoshaphat declared a fast throughout all Judah to seek help from the Lord. When all Judah assembled before the temple in Jerusalem, King Jehoshaphat praised the Lord Almighty for His faithfulness in protecting His people. The Spirit of the Lord came upon a man named Jahaziel, who declared that the battle is not his but God’s. He also commanded that the king and the people of Judah to not be afraid or dismayed. He declared that God will fight this battle on their behalf.

However, God commands the king and the people to prepare themselves for the battle the next day, position themselves, stand firm and see the salvation of the Lord. When they heard this, the king and the people of Judah bowed and worshipped the Lord. The following day, the Levites encouraged the king furthermore to trust in the Lord. He consulted with them and appointed singers to sing praises to the Lord. He positioned these singers in front of the army. As they walked towards the battle, the singers praised the Lord saying, “Give thanks to the Lord, for His lovingkindness is everlasting.”

Our faithful God set ambushes against the enemies of Judah, causing to fight amongst themselves and destroy each other completely. As the people of Judah approached the lookout, only corpses of soldiers were found and none escaped. The defeat of the enemy was complete. Jehoshaphat and his people went back to Jerusalem with the spoils of war and joy in their hearts. Because of such display of the power of God, the surrounding nations were in terror knowing that the God of Judah is fighting their battles. King Jehoshaphat remained faithful to the Lord all the days of his life.

King Jehoshaphat worshipped God and sought His counsel in every aspect. When trouble was brewing nearby, without seeking counsel from anyone, he sought the Lord’s counsel. When fear gripped him, he fell into God’s strong arms. His position before the Lord was righteous. Though weak, he found strength in the Lord. How are we positioning ourselves in our lives today? Do we have a righteous standing before the Lord? Do we run to God when trouble is nearby? Do we seek Lord’s counsel when we are at the crossroads?

Whatever type of enemy we face today, whether family, health, financial, mental or spiritual, whose counsel do we seek? With treacherous mountains looming above us, do we rest knowing that our Lord walks before us and behind us? Have we positioned ourselves before Him so we could see our Lord fighting our battles for us? Are we praising and worshipping the Lord despite our troubled circumstances? Praise + Worship = Victory. Are we able to apply this formula in our walk of faith?

Dearly beloved, may the Spirit of God assure your troubled heart this day and this very hour to not be afraid nor dismayed, but stand still and see the salvation of the Lord. When you find yourself at the crossroads, unable to find the path that God has set before you, run to the One who willed that path for you. Position yourself as a praising vessel before the Lord. Position yourself as a seeker of God and His counsel in every aspect of your life. Position yourself as a witness of God’s goodness and faithfulness. When you find yourself on the lookout, you will see a completely defeated enemy. All you have to do is walk into the blessings of God that will be too numerous to count.