In our Gospel Doctrine class last week, the other teacher decided to go back and focus on the Prodigal Son since he didn't have enough time to cover it last time. Something jumped out at me that I had never realized before.
Last time I posted this, I totally glossed over the older brother's experience because I thought it would distract from the point of the father's love. Then I read verse 28:
"And he [the older son] was angry, and would not go in: therefore came his father out, and intreated him."
If you're like me, you're probably thinking, "Yah, what's your point?". Well, what I didn't realize until I was sitting in class was this:
The youngest son willfully rebelled, took the inheritance and left. On his way back home, his father ran out to meet him and bring him back.
The oldest son refused to go into the house to join in the celebration of his brother's return. His father went out to see him and "intreated him" to come back. (Side note: the Greek word for 'intreat' - parakaleo - means to admonish, encourage, strengthen, instruct).
In short, regardless if we are the repentant returning prodigal, or the stubborn brother refusing to come in, our Heavenly Father still loves us so much that He comes out to bring us back into his presence. And as evidenced when Christ walked on the water to reach his distressed disciples, our Father always takes the most direct route to reach us.
"...how oft would I have gathered you as a hen gathereth her chickens under her wings..." (3 Nephi 10:5)
Elder Jeffrey R. Holland once said:
"Just because God is God, just because Christ is Christ, they cannot do other than care for us and bless us and help us if we will but come unto them, approaching their throne of grace in meekness and lowliness of heart. They can't help but bless us. ... It is their nature." ("Come Unto Me, BYU Devotional, 2 March 1997)
Satan would have us believe that we are somehow beyond the redemptive reach of the Savior, but neither the prodigal nor the faithful sons were excempted from the father's love.
Last time I posted this, I totally glossed over the older brother's experience because I thought it would distract from the point of the father's love. Then I read verse 28:
"And he [the older son] was angry, and would not go in: therefore came his father out, and intreated him."
If you're like me, you're probably thinking, "Yah, what's your point?". Well, what I didn't realize until I was sitting in class was this:
The youngest son willfully rebelled, took the inheritance and left. On his way back home, his father ran out to meet him and bring him back.
The oldest son refused to go into the house to join in the celebration of his brother's return. His father went out to see him and "intreated him" to come back. (Side note: the Greek word for 'intreat' - parakaleo - means to admonish, encourage, strengthen, instruct).
In short, regardless if we are the repentant returning prodigal, or the stubborn brother refusing to come in, our Heavenly Father still loves us so much that He comes out to bring us back into his presence. And as evidenced when Christ walked on the water to reach his distressed disciples, our Father always takes the most direct route to reach us.
"...how oft would I have gathered you as a hen gathereth her chickens under her wings..." (3 Nephi 10:5)
Elder Jeffrey R. Holland once said:
"Just because God is God, just because Christ is Christ, they cannot do other than care for us and bless us and help us if we will but come unto them, approaching their throne of grace in meekness and lowliness of heart. They can't help but bless us. ... It is their nature." ("Come Unto Me, BYU Devotional, 2 March 1997)
Satan would have us believe that we are somehow beyond the redemptive reach of the Savior, but neither the prodigal nor the faithful sons were excempted from the father's love.
