Jesus demonstrated how absolutely dependent He was upon the Father in the years of His earthly ministry. He lived a life of prayer; and His life was one of continually waiting on the Father.  Everything He needed to fulfill the will of the Father was received moment by moment.  "I tell you the truth, the Son can do nothing by Himself; He can do only what He sees His Father doing, because whatever the Father does the Son also does.  For the Father loves the Son and shows Him all He does.  Yes, to your amazement He will show Him even greater things than these.  For just as the Father raises the dead and gives them life, even so the Son gives life to whom He is pleased to give it" (John 5:19-21).

The parable of the prodigal son reveals the heart of a young man who rejected the life of dependence upon the Father.  The son lived his life after the flesh, and he demanded the entirety of his inheritance, which he went and squandered in pursuit of the world. He lived entirely for himself and produced nothing of lasting value that would please God or profit anyone.  The prodigal's story shows the sad results of a life disconnected from the vine, and the effort and work that is needed to sustain a fruitless and unproductive life.  The prodigal needed to be brought to the very end of himself before he realized the riches that were waiting on him if he returned to the Father.  This afternoon, let us offer praise to our heavenly Father, the tender Vine-dresser, who is ever-watchful over our union with the Vine, and offer our thanksgiving for all the love and power that He gave to His Son is the same power that is now working in us.  May this day not end until we yield ourselves completely to the work of His hand to supply moment by moment all that we need to produce the fruit of His spiritual life. "For the eyes of the LORD range throughout the earth to strengthen those whose hearts are fully committed to Him" (2 Chronicles 16:9).

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