Those of you who know me or have followed my blog for a while, know that I work with the children of my church. I love little children. I love spending time with them and I love the things that I learn from them. I also love the things that I get to teach them.

Yesterday, I was reading through the lesson that I was preparing to teach this Sunday. The lesson was about repentance and forgiveness and included the parable of the Prodigal Son from the fifteenth chapter of Luke.

I have read this parable many times before but decided to read through it again. As I prepared my lesson, I carefully read and pondered the words of this beautiful story. I read how the father in this parable forgave and welcomed his wayward son home with open arms. I marveled at the complete and unconditional love of this father for his child.

It struck me more than ever before how loving and forgiving our Heavenly Father is. Just as the father in the parable, our Heavenly Father loves us completely and unconditionally. He wants us to come home, to return to Him. No matter what we do, no matter what mistakes we make, He is willing and ready to forgive us if we repent.

As I contemplated my Heavenly Father’s great capacity for forgiveness, I was overcome with gratitude to Him. I am so grateful that no matter my missteps or mistakes in this life, He is willing to forgive me and welcome me home with open arms.

When I am tempted to be less than forgiving or too willing to hold on to resentment or bitterness towards someone that I feel has wronged me, I am going to try harder to remember the example of forgiveness that Christ taught in this parable. When I fail and am too harsh and too unforgiving, I will ask my Heavenly Father to forgive me…..and He will.