“And he said, A certain man had two sons: And 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.”–Luke 15:11–12

J. Wilbur Chapman was often asked to speak in prisons as he traveled around the country in revival meetings. It is said that once he was at the prison in Joliet, Illinois, preparing to speak when the warden said, “Dr. Chapman, we have had twenty-four ministers here this year, and every one of them has preached on the Prodigal Son. Can you speak on something else?” Chapman looked at his Bible which was marked in Luke 15, and then stood to preach. But instead of focusing on the wayward son, Chapman talked about the loving father who never gave up on his child.

We call it the parable of the Prodigal Son, but Jesus told this story as the conclusion of a series of three parables aimed at revealing the nature of God’s love toward the lost and the way people respond when others are saved. The world we live in has a distorted picture of God, and that has often infected the church as well. We need to return to the focus that the Bible places on our Heavenly Father and understanding of His nature and character.

This parable begins with what was, in the Middle Eastern culture of Jesus’ day, an unbearable insult. Sons did not go to their fathers and demand to be given their inheritance. Yet rather than responding in kind, the father did as he was asked. All of us were born as sinners, enemies of God both by nature and by choice. We have no hope apart from God’s love, but His love is overwhelming. “But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us” (Romans 5:8).– Daily in the Word

Who comforteth us in all our tribulation, that we may be able to comfort them which are in any trouble, by the comfort wherewith we ourselves are comforted of God– 2 Corinthians 1:4

God gives us comfort in all our tribulation. There is not a sickness, or a loss, or a pain, or a frustration for which God does not provide comfort.

He comforts us in his Word, the Bible. When we read His promises and discover His character, we receive the great comfort that is meant for us in His Word. We are reminded that God is good and that God is sovereign. And we are told that His sovereign goodness is at work in this universe on behalf of believers.

He comforts us with His Spirit. In fact, the Spirit of God is called our Comforter. When no human can understand, when no words can relieve, the Spirit of God is still able to minister to our soul. By pointing us to the finished work of Christ and drawing us to the person of Christ, the Holy Spirit sets our feet on solid ground even when our world is falling apart around us.

But there is another way, Paul tells us, in which God comforts us. The very trials and consolations we have experienced will be used to help others through their personal pains. God’s Word brings comfort to others as we share with others the scriptures that have helped us. The Spirit of God brings comfort as we testify of the sufficiency of Christ even in the midst of our personal agonizing.

Through the very comfort that we ourselves have received, others receive comfort; this, in turn, consoles us that our trial has not been in vain.(Baptist Bible Hour)

“When they were filled, he said unto his disciples, Gather up the fragments that remain, that nothing be lost.” John 6:12

It seems remarkable, that He who so easily could multiply the five loaves into an abundant meal for thousands, should be so particular about ‘saving the fragments’. But Jesus would teach us economy. No matter how great our abundance, we should take care of the ‘fragments’. After we have eaten at our tables, there are hungry people who would be glad for the pieces that are left over.

This applies also to the fragments of time. Many busy people waste whole years of time in their life—in the minutes which they lose every day! If at the end of a year they could gather up all these ‘fragments’, they would have many basketfuls of golden time in which they might do much good!

Likewise, we should not waste our strength. Many people waste their bodily energy, using it in play, or useless amusements, when it belongs to God—and ought to be employed to its last particle for His glory!

Likewise, we should not waste our affections by allowing them to be given to unworthy objects or people.

There is no limit to the application of this principle. We must give account of everything we have, even the minutes of time, the little fractions of strength, and the smallest bits of bread on our tables!–J R Miller

“When they were filled, he said unto his disciples, Gather up the fragments that remain, that nothing be lost.” John 6:12

“ And, behold, there arose a great tempest in the sea, insomuch that the ship was covered with the waves: but he was asleep.” — Matt 8:24

The disciples had not put out out sea of their own suggestion. Had they done so without Christ’s bidding, they would not have had the same reason to expect protection and deliverance. The lesson we learn here is this — that storms may arise even when we are in the plain line of duty. We should not be discouraged by the difficulty or trouble that comes, and conclude that we are in the wrong path.

We see, too, that Christ’s presence with his disciples does not keep the storms away. There are no promises in the Bible that Christian people shall not meet trials. Religion builds no high walls about us to break the force of the winds. Troubles come to the Christian just as surely as to the worldly man. There are the storms of temptation; these sweep down with sudden and terrific power from the cold mountains of this world. then there are storms of sickness, of disappointment and adversity, of sorrow, that make the waves and billows to roll over the soul.

On the Sea or Galilee travellers say that a boat will be gliding along smoothly over a glassy surface, unbroken by a ripple, when suddenly, without a moments’s warning, tempest will sweep down, and almost instantly the boat will be tossed in the angry waves. Thus many of life’s storms come. Temptations come when we are not looking for them. So disasters come. We are at peace in a happy home. At an hour when we think not, without warning, the darling child we love so much lies dead in our arms. The friend we trusted, and who we thought could never fail us, proves false. The hopes cherished for years wither in our hands in the night, like flowers when the frost comes. The storms of life are nearly all sudden surprises. They do not hang out danger-signals days before to warn us. The only way to be ready for them is to be always ready.– J. R. Miller