I credit the biblical messages of Christian music crossing over to mainstream music, in particular the debut Jars of Clay album, for leading me to Christ, for which I'm eternally grateful. I was a prodigal son who thought my works and basically being a good person would eventually lead me to Heaven.

Something Different, the latest album by Sidewalk Prophets, includes the lead single "Prodigal," which tells a similar story. Something Different follows three years behind the successful album Live Like That, which held songs like "Live Like That," "Help Me Find It" and "Keep Making Me." Something Different continues the band's mission to share the heart of Jesus, to issue an invitation for God to enter listeners' hearts with His love. I had the chance to speak with lead singer Dave Frey about "Prodigal."

Please tell me the personal story behind this song.

When we sat down to write this song with Seth Mosely, we went to a lake house, which was an incredible moment to commune with God. We're so busy that sometimes we lose track of remembering to just "Be still and know that He is God." It was an incredible outpouring of creativity. Most of the songs were written in that lake house just outside of Scranton, Pennsylvania. Long story short, we had this outpouring of songs in this gorgeous place.

When we wrote this song, Seth was the last person we flew out to be with us for the last three days. By the grace of God and by divine appointment, we wrote three of my favorite songs on the album with him. After that, we decided he needed to produce our album. Praise the Lord he did. He did an incredible job of catching our passion and lifting it up even higher. This song was the first song we wrote together. 

We told him we wanted our album to be up-tempo and exciting, and we wanted to have depth to the lyrics. That's hard to do sometimes, as a lot of faster songs are catchy and simplified so they'll stick in your brain. We didn't want to just do that. We were thinking about all of these people in our lives who come up to us at shows and say, "pray for my daughter, she's left the church and she's lost, and she's hurting and doesn't even know it." That's the cry of a mother's and father's heart. It echoed with me. I've felt the same way for my brother and my cousin who have gone through hard things. 

We wanted to write this song, whether for you or for someone you know and love dearly, when you are asking God why this is happening. A lot of our songs are inspired by C.S. Lewis quotes. This song came out of Ruth Bell Graham citing C.S. Lewis and the story of the Prodigal in the Bible. The quote says: "'Dad, I'm not at all sure I can follow you any longer in your simple Christian faith' stated the clergyman's son when he returned from the university for holidays with a fledgling scholar's assured arrogance. The father's black eyes skewered his son, who was 'lost,' as C.S. Lewis put it, 'in the invincible ignorance of his intellect.' 'Son,' the father said, 'That is your freedom, your terrible freedom.'" 

I love that quote, and when I started to think about all of those people who had been lost, and the invincibility of their ignorant intellect, this song came pouring out of us.

Which Bible verses connect to the message of the song?

Luke 15:11-32 (NIV): The Parable of the Prodigal Son

What is the takeaway message?

It was the Prodigal's father who financed his son's ability to leave home. I feel like God does that all of the time. He blesses us, and then we use those blessings in ways He never intended us to, and we hit rock bottom and realize we had better go back home and return to where goodness springs from. I learn something every time I read the parable. 

You'll see the themes of reminding each other that we deserve love throughout the album. That springs from an embattled place. We went through a lot of tough stuff as a band with finances, pressures of the world and people who had hurt us. We've tried to chase down our dreams and God has blessed us, and we've also been in the place of wondering if it was all worth it.

This song is a call to come home. We all want to be home, but everyone gets lost, disgraced or discouraged. Luke 15:20 talks about the Prodigal, a man who hit rock bottom. He got up, went to his father, and while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and, filled with compassion, he ran to his son, threw his arms around him and kissed him. 

Maybe you know someone who has wandered far from home. Maybe it's you who feels isolated, ashamed and alone. Those same feet that led you astray can lead you back home. God longs for you to return and He celebrates your arrival. Don't wait. This is the day. Come running like a prodigal. We hope our song helps you or someone you love find the courage to run right now to the open and loving arms of Christ.

Lyrics:
It's been a long time since you felt peace
In the valley you made where you're not meant to be
Where the shame throws shadows on you
But don't you forget

That you're headed to more
But you've settled for less
Don't buy the lie "it's as good as it gets"
The same feet that left you lost and alone
Are the very same feet that can bring you back home

Wherever you are, whatever you did
It's a page in your book, but it isn't the end
Your Father will meet you with arms open wide
This is where your heart belongs
Come running like a prodigal

There will be nights, when you hear whispers
Of the life you once knew, don't let it linger
Cause there's a grace that falls upon you
Don't you forget
In the places your weak
He is very strong
Don't ever believe "you don't deserve love" 
The same God that protects you when you're lost and alone
Is the very same God that is calling you home

Wherever you are, whatever you did
It's a page in your book, but it isn't the end

Your Father will meet you with arms open wide
This is where your heart belongs
Come running like a prodigal

Oh...
Let your life be made new
Oh...
As you come into view
Your Father's not waiting, no he's running too
He's running straight to you

Wherever you are, whatever you did
It's a page in your book, but it isn't the end

Your Father will meet you with arms open wide
This is where your heart belongs
Come running like a prodigal

It took the conviction of the Holy Spirit grabbing my heart and pointing me to my desperate need for my Savior, Jesus, to bring about repentance and know the Truth "that if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved" (Romans 10:9, NKJV). My wife was pregnant with our oldest daughter in 1999 when I was saved. We now have three daughters, and my oldest is now almost 16 years old. I desperately pray for all of my daughters to not stray away from the Truth of the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

Many have felt or still feel misunderstood by parents when they give boundaries or rules that are meant to protect and help children who they love to understand the Words of Jesus: "The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have life and have it abundantly." (John 10:10, ESV).

There are two key statements in the song that have life application for all of us--"Don't buy the lie it's as good as it gets" and "Don't ever believe you don't deserve love." It's the voice of the enemy telling us that we're not worthy of love or that this is as good as it gets. The story of the Prodigal Son in Luke's Gospel account (Luke 15:11-32) is everyone's story. In one way or another, we all want our inheritance and want to squander everything with prodigal living. The Good News of the Gospel is that we're never too far away from the reach of our loving Father God.

To enter God's Kingdom, we all need to proclaim "Father, I have sinned against heaven and in Your sight, and am no longer worthy to be called Your son" (Luke 15:21, NKJV). God's answer to each of us who return to Him will be "for this my son was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found" (Luke 15:24, NKJV). That's cause for celebration! If you're praying for restoration, join in and sing along "Your Father will meet you with arms open wide, this is where your heart belongs, come running like a prodigal." Amen to that!

(Watch the music video here.)