Talk in church

Hey, Jordan here. I got to speak today in church, so that was fun. I wanted to share my talk here. Let me know what you think.

Love of God
I want to start off with a story that many of you have heard. There once was a men with two sons. One day, the younger son asked for his inheritance, so the father split the inheritance to his two sons and the younger son left to live on his own a few days later. The younger son spent his inheritance and ended up quite literally living with the pigs. He decided to go home and tell his father that he sinned against him and would serve him instead of being his son. The verse I wanted to read is Luke 15:20. It says, "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." Like this father, our Heavenly Father is just waiting for us to come back to him and He will run to meet us to fall upon us.

My mission president, Don H. Staheli, who is now the assistant to the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles. He was President Gordon B. Hinckley's personal assistant. He also wrote a book titled Just Hold Me: Embraced by the Savior's Love. This is what he said about this story in the book:

“Despite our straying from the way of righteousness, regardless of how we may have distanced ourselves from God. Our Father, Redeemer will come to us and in a manner as real as any father’s embrace will have compassion and encompass us in His fervent welcome back. He is watching and waiting for our return. If we move toward Him, He will come out to greet us. … Time and distance, whether physical or spiritual, pose no obstacle for Him. He only awaits a sign of our repentant willingness, for He will force no man to heaven. As we seek Him and wait upon Him, His spirit will fall upon us as though we were literally enfolded in His sweet embrace.” President Don H. Staheli - Just Hold Me: Embraced by the Savior’s Love

Also in this book, President Staheli talked about a scripture found in Doctrine and Covenants section 6 verse 20 and it says:

“Behold, thou art Oliver, and I have spoken unto thee because of thy desires; therefore treasure up these words in thy heart. Be faithful and diligent in keeping the commandments of God, and I will encircle thee in the arms of my love.” - D&C 6:20

While on my mission, I searched out this scripture and other verses related to it because I haven't ever heard that phrase, "...encircle thee in the arms of my love." There was only one other scripture which I found with that type of phrasing. It is in Second Nephi 1:15, and it's Lehi talking to his sons says "My sould has been redeemed from hell...I am encircled in the arms of his love."

Upon further researching it, I found a quote from President Dieter F. Uchtdorf that says:

“Think of the purest, most all-consuming love you can imagine. Now multiply that love by an infinite amount—that is the measure of God’s love for you. Though we are incomplete, God loves us completely. Though we are imperfect, He loves us perfectly. Though we may feel lost and without compass, God’s love encompasses us completely.” - President Dieter F. Uchtdorf

I'd like to talk about another story from the scriptures. Christ walked on the water to meet the apostles and Peter asked to join him, to which Christ responded for him to come unto him. In the scriptures it says:

“But when he saw the wind boisterous, he was afraid; and beginning to sink, he cried, saying, ‘Lord, save me.’ And immediately Jesus stretched forth his hand, and caught him, and said unto him, O thou of little faith, wherefore didst thou doubt?” - Matthew 14:30-31

In Preach My Gospel, there's a line that I love.

“Doubt and fear are opposed to faith.” - Preach My Gospel

It's interesting to not both of these things are present when Peter started to sink. He was afraid and Christ asked, "wherefore didst thou doubt." That's the reason he started to sink.

How often do we find ourselves looking around, realizing we’re in the wrong, and reaching out for the Savior, say “save me”? When we do this, do we feel His hands outstretched catching us, like Peter?

I promise you that He is still there. In Isaiah, the Lord continually says “For all this his anger is not turned away, but his hand is stretched out still.”

This image reminds me of Michelangelo’s Creation of Adam painted in the Sistine chapel. God is reaching, stretched as much as possible to reach Adam, but Adam (representing man) is relaxed, arm bent with one finger slightly stretched out back to God.

Just imagine that image. The Lord’s hand is ever reaching towards each of us waiting for us to do our part so He can grab hold and lead each of us back to Him.

It wouldn't be fair to talk about God's love without mentioning the atonement of Jesus Christ and without mention John 3:16.

“For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son…” - John 3:16

Christ being given is the ultimate form of love. The Atonement of Jesus Christ is the only way back to Heavenly Father for us. We wouldn't be able to live with Heavenly Father again without Christ giving His life for us. I know this to be true.

Once again, I would like to reiterate that scripture that got me thinking about this topic. D&C 6:20:

“Behold, thou art (your name here), and I have spoken unto thee because of thy desires; therefore treasure up these words in thy heart. Be faithful and diligent in keeping the commandments of God, and I will encircle thee in the arms of my love.” - D&C 6:20

President Staheli had this to say about the scripture in his book:

“The Savior is never untouchable, but is available to all who will reach out to Him to be enfolded in His embrace. Surely, if we call upon Him, He will respond with our name and we will be encircled about eternally in the arms of His love and remember eternally goes both ways, forward and back. It means we have been, and we can always be encircled in the arms of His love.” - Don H. Staheli, Just Hold Me: Embraced by the Savior’s Love

I just wanted to bear my testimony. I know this church is true. I know Christ gave His life so that we can live with Him and Heavenly Father again. I know God loves each of us in a very real way. We are His children and He loves His children.