Devotionals

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Remember the story of the prodigal son. All of us has been in the place of the prodigal in our lives. We have all looked at God and decided to do what we wanted and not what God was directing us to do.

One summer many years ago I was working for a Christian Adventure camp called Peak Adventures. It was located in the White Mountains of New Hampshire. I did not have a car in New Hampshire and as the summer came to an end I decided that I wanted to go back home to my folks in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan before I went back to college. The problem was that I had a ride to Grand Rapids not the U.P. So I decided to hitchhike to my home in Dollar Bay.

I told the camp director about my brilliant idea. He did not see the wisdom of my plan. He even suggested that it was a dangerous and bad idea. Well, at the end of the summer I did not work for him, so what was he going to do “fire me?”
I called my parents and announced that I would be home before I went to college. They asked “How?” I hate it when people want the details when I have a stupid idea. They suggested that I take the ride to Grand Rapids and we would see each other another time. I decided to surprise them! They were old and without a drop of adventure in their veins.

So I began a very long hitchhike across Canada to Michigan’s Upper Peninsula. I crossed Quebec and a lot of the huge providence of Ontario, till I got to Sault Ste. Marie. It was such a scary experience that when I arrived in Michigan. I was willing to buy a ticket on a Grey Hound bus and crisscross the U.P. till I was safe in my home.

One experience among many was- I was hitching through Pembroke, Ontario. A guy in a beautiful red muscle car picked me up. He started driving very fast and weaving all over the road. I thought I was riding with a crazy wild man. (Which I Was!) He drove on as I held on for my life. In the middle of a busy four-lane road he slammed on the brakes and told me to get out. He then drove away yelling that "Hitch hiking was dangerous."
Other bad experiences included being assaulted by a crazy guy; getting soaked in a rain-storm that lasted for days while I tried to get rides on a lonely northern road: offered drugs and given a ride by two French speaking moms in a station wagon with over six kids in the car. (The cute little French speaking kids fed me peanut butter sandwiches and grape Kool-aid) I did have a few good rides. Then I got in huge trouble with the Canada Customs for trying to hitch hike across the bridge between Canada and Michigan. I did not know that that was a big no-no. By the time I was released into U.S. Customs and then released to continue my hitchhike across the U.P., I was convinced that I was a very stupid kid. I was ready to come to my senses.

I did not want to experience what it was like to get rides from my fellow Yoopers. So I came to my senses and got on the Grey-Hound bus and visited every little no-where place in the whole U.P. on my way home to Houghton on the bus.

“When he came to his senses.”

LUKE 15:11-32 “Jesus continued: "There was a man who had two sons. 12 The younger one said to his father, `Father, give me my share of the estate.' So he divided his property between them
.” 13"Not long after that, the younger son got together all he had, set off for a distant country and there squandered his wealth in wild living. 14 After he had spent everything, there was a severe famine in that whole country, and he began to be in need. 15 So he went and hired himself out to a citizen of that country, who sent him to his fields to feed pigs. 16 He longed to fill his stomach with the pods that the pigs were eating, but no one gave him anything.”17 "When he came to his senses, he said, `How many of my father's hired men have food to spare, and here I am starving to death! 18 I will set out and go back to my father and say to him: Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you. 19 I am no longer worthy to be called your son; make me like one of your hired men.' 20 So he got up and went to his father. "But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and was filled with compassion for him; he ran to his son, threw his arms around him and kissed him.21 "The son said to him, `Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son. '22 "But the father said to his servants, `Quick! Bring the best robe and put it on him. Put a ring on his finger and sandals on his feet. 23 Bring the fattened calf and kill it. Let's have a feast and celebrate. 24 for this son of mine was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.' So they began to celebrate.
25 "Meanwhile, the older son was in the field. When he came near the house, he heard music and dancing. 26 So he called one of the servants and asked him what was going on. 27 `Your brother has come,' he replied, `and your father has killed the fattened calf because he has him back safe and sound.'28 "The older brother became angry and refused to go in. So his father went out and pleaded with him. 29 But he answered his father, `Look! All these years I've been slaving for you and never disobeyed your orders. Yet you never gave me even a young goat so I could celebrate with my friends. 30 But when this son of yours who has squandered your property with prostitutes comes home, you kill the fattened calf for him!'31 " `My son,' the father said, `you are always with me, and everything I have is yours. 32 But we had to celebrate and be glad, because this brother of yours was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.' "

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