“And he arose, and came to his father. But when he was yet a great way off, his father saw him, and had compassion, and ran, and fell on his neck, and kissed him.” – Luke 15:20
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“Bring the best robe …” (wrapped in the love of God)
“Put a ring on him …” (restored as His sons and daughters)
“Put shoes on his feet …” (to walk the covenant path) – Luke 15:22
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“For this my son was dead, and is alive again; he was lost, and is found. And they began to be merry.” – Luke 15:24
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Each of us finds ourselves lost at some point in our mortal journey
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Sometimes we are lost through innocent wandering (a lost sheep) – Luke 15:4
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Sometimes we are lost through the negligence or abuse of others (a lost coin) – Luke 15:8
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And sometimes we are lost through our own choices and sins (a prodigal son) – Luke 15:12-15
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However we have become lost, our Father will not stop searching until we are found.
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He will explore every wandering path, light every candle, sweep and search every corner, exploit every avenue possibly available to Him to bring us home.
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For us, that searching included a star over Bethlehem, blood in Gethsemane, nails on Golgotha, and an empty garden tomb.
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And when we are found, Our Father rejoices!
And He wants ALL His family to rejoice together!
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“Can I even come back after everything I’ve done?”
The young man asked me years ago in the bishop’s office …
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Every word of Christ’s teachings echoes a resounding, “YES!”.
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“Behold, mine arm of mercy is extended towards you, and whosoever will come, him will I receive …” – 3 Nephi 9:14
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If we’re feeling lost … It’s time to come home.
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If we know someone who’s lost … it’s time to help in the search.
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If our child or grandchild is lost … know that there is a legion of heavenly and earthly servants actively employed in the search … And God will ultimately bring them home!
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Image credit – “The Prodigal Son” by Liz Lemon Swindle