Thursday, July 7, 2011

The Prodigal Saint

Augustine  was a shameless and immoral man who lived in the city of Carthage. He had a very godly mother whose prayers and holy life served to stab his conscience. He decided to run away from her and get away from her influence. He thought he could escape the claims of God on his life. So off he set to the wicked city of Rome where he continued in his wicked ways. 

One day, whilst sitting in a garden in Rome, he heard a childlike voice repeatedly saying, "Take and read". He found a scroll containing some words from the Bible.  Don’t participate in the darkness of wild parties and drunkenness, or in sexual promiscuity and immoral living, or in quarreling and jealousy. Instead, clothe yourself with the presence of the Lord Jesus Christ. And don’t let yourself think about ways to indulge your evil desires." (Romans 13:13-14, NLT)

The Word of God is alive and powerful and St. Augustine became a transformed man and turned out to be one the great theologians of the Christian church.  God had caught up with him and there was no running away.

St Augustine's godly mother, Monica, kept praying for him and was greatly concerned when he decided to leave home and venture off to the city of Rome. As she stood at the harbour bidding her prodigal son a tearful farewell, Ambrose the local bishop, came to her and said, “Fear not Monica, it cannot be that the child of these thy tears should be lost.”

Don’t stop praying! God has not forgotten your prodigals. They are still on His radar. He is the Good Shepherd and will bring those wayward sheep back into the fold.  

I can never escape from your Spirit! I can never get away from your presence!(Psalm 139:7, NLT)

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