“LOVE, FORGIVENESS”

【編輯室】

James W. Moore is the pastor of St. Luke’s United Methodist Church in Houston, Texas. He tells that some years ago in another state, there was a fellow named Roy who was going through a tough time, and who sought Moore help. His daughter was having a hard time growing up. She had become surly and rebellious and arrogant and difficult. It was one crisis after another with her.

She was constantly in trouble, but Roy never wavered. He kept on praying that she would some day soon “get her act together” and he kept on love her and forgiving her. When she was sixteen, she ran away from home. All kinds of hurtful reports came back about the lifestyle she was living, but nobody could pinpoint exactly where she was.

Finally, Roy got word that somebody had seen her in Memphis Tennessee. Roy went to look for her. James Moore said, “I’ll never forget that experience. Or the look on Roy’s face as we searched all day and into the night for his prodigal daughter. Written large on his face was this look of intense urgency and deep love. As we went into one dive after another, one bar after an-other, one teenage hangout after another, and everywhere we went, Roy would do the same thing. He would show people the picture of his daughter and ask if anyone had seen her.

No luck! They either hadn’t seen her or they weren’t talking. And everywhere we went that day; Roy stuck a picture of his wife and himself near the door. With it was a note, which read: “Debbie, all is forgiven! We love you! Please come home!” (Signed) Mom and Dad We didn’t find Debbie that day, but two weeks later she did come home, dirty, disheveled, hungry, but OK.

She said: “I couldn’t believe my eyes. I walked into this bar one night. And saw my mom and dad’s picture and that note. And then, I went to another place and another and another. And everywhere I went, there was my mom and dad’s picture. And that note forgiving me and pleading with me to come home. And for the first time in my life, I realized that night how much my mom and dad love me. I have hurt them so many times. I have broken their hearts so many times. And still they came looking for me. Still they love me.”

Is this not the way our Heavenly Father searches for us? “All can be forgiven! I love you! Please come home!”