The following is an adaptation from Pastor Peter Brunton's teaching entitled, "The Root of a Dying Culture."

One of the questions we will always ask in our minds is: "What is our destiny?"

Studies have found that towards the end of a man's life, contentment was not even suggestively associated with social class or even the man's own income. What it was significantly associated with was the warmth of his childhood environment and closeness to his father.

We find this in God's own plan for our lives, as illustrated in the parable of the prodigal son. If you've never read it, the son goes out and lives life how he wants, eventually wastes all his money and realizes that even working under his father would be better than struggling on his own. He makes a decision to go back and ask to be a lowly servant in his father's house. All the while, the father is scanning the horizon for him. When he sees his son he unabashedly runs to him, ready to throw a huge celebration for his return home.

No matter where you are, God is ready and willing to come running to you. You just have to take that first step back to him.

Northwest Gold is a series of easy-to-digest samplings from the best Northwest teachings. To read more on this topic, check out the full teaching "The Root of a Dying Culture" and also view more teachings like this on the Let My People Think sermon series page.