Threads in the Tapestry

Podcasting has become quite a big deal, hasn't it? It's changing media culture, and how information is disseminated. It is good and bad, and you have to be careful who you trust in podcast land. Podcasting has exploded onto the scene, and there are now thousands upon thousands of podcasts available on the internet.

But do you know who the original podcaster is? Go check out Luke 15 and start reading in verse 11. Go ahead...I'll wait here, and listen to a podcast while you read. Ok, did you see it? Luke 15:16 says, "And he was longing to be fed with the pods that the pigs ate, and no one gave him anything." Jesus is telling the parable of the prodigal son here, so I know it's a fictional story, but it is still the words of Jesus, and they are therefore important and intentional.

What did you notice about the pods? They were what the pigs ate, and no one would give the Prodigal any, but he longed to be fed with them. He was totally dependent. He couldn't eat them himself. Have you ever been that hungry?

Because I believe in the Sovereignty of God, and that He provides everything that we need. So, I believe He provided the pods for the Prodigal. But wait - He wanted someone to give him some, but no one did, right? How then do I say God provided?

Well, it was at that moment that the Prodigal realized that His Father fed slaves better than this. He realized he had reached bottom, and it was time to go home. God is the ultimate provider in our lives. He promises to give us what we need, and He knows what we need before we do. Jesus is giving us a picture in this parable of how God provides what we need, which is not always what we want.

The Prodigal wanted to eat the mud covered pods, but what he needed was an incentive to go home. A quick boot to the head to wake him up. I think when you hear yourself say out loud, "Hmmm, those mud covered pods are looking pretty tasty," you have reached a turning point in life. God provides us those turning points. God casts those pods before us.

What was it for you? What's the podcast he used to get your attention? Was it a certain type of porn you swore you would never sink to? Was it getting caught in a lie? Was it the departure of a spouse? Maybe it was an arrest. Maybe it was time in prison. Maybe it was the realization that you had absolutely no control over your life. The Prodigal realized that his Father was infinitely better than living in the far country. He went home - and you can too.

Your Father in Heaven is providing for you. He doesn't always provide what you want, but he does provide what you need. Sometimes what you need is a pod cast from Him to bring you to your senses. He is, after all, the original podcaster.