******************************************
Daily Wisdom
******************************************
The Call to Return - October 21, 2008

I walk my son to his bus stop because I worry about his safety. Drivers anxious to get to work on time present a very real danger, and I need to train him to be careful. As he ventures into the street, attracted by a particular rock or insect, I must call him back, reminding him to walk with me.

"Come back! Stay with me! Come back!" Whether called out to a curious young child, a rebellious teenager, a wandering spouse, or even a straying pet, the words touch us with their desperation.

It's painful to witness the wayward, potentially harmful ways of our loved ones. I want my son to experience responsibility and freedom, yet there are so many dangers, and one impulsive lurch could lead to disaster.

As adults, we usually take it upon ourselves to look out for dangers. We trust our judgment, our experience, and sometimes our "hunches." Nevertheless, we often make disasters out of our lives. Failed relationships, financial ruin, or a feeling of emptiness can make us wonder why we bother living at all.

Yet if we can admit that we need wisdom and guidance beyond our own, we can respond to the persistent Voice calling, "Come back! Stay with Me! Come back!

Perhaps you have fallen away from your faith. Perhaps you grew up in a home without a tradition of faith. It doesn't matter to God. Our Father in Heaven loves you, cares about your well being even more than I love and care about my son. He understands that you're likely to make mistakes, looks over you even when you ignore Him, and anxiously awaits your response to His call.

He's there to walk with you through all the rough patches of your life. The joyous ones, too. No sin you have committed could possibly be greater than God's ability to forgive and forget and wipe the slate clean for you. By His suffering and death, Jesus, the Son of God, paid the price of all of our sins. ALL of YOUR sins are included in the package. Really.

Your loving Father awaits you with open arms, calling, "Come back! Stay with Me! Come back!" Through His Son you can find your way home; don't make Him wait any longer.

Contributed by Andrea Chapman,