DEAREST FRIEND

If you only knew how precious you are! Maybe you don't feel appreciated; you feel you are worth nothing or that no one cares about you. Maybe you feel there is no hope for you because of wrong decisions you have made in life. Let me tell you something wonderful. You can choose to believe me or not. The choice is yours - but please give me some of your time. This is the story:

«And he said, "There was a man who had two sons; and the younger of them said to his father, 'Father, give me the share of property that falls to me.' And he divided his living between them. Not many days later, the younger son gathered all he had and took his journey into a far country, and there he squandered his property in loose living. And when he had spent everything, a great famine arose in that country, and he began to be in want. So he went and joined himself to one of the citizens of that country, who sent him into his fields to feed swine. And he would gladly have fed on the pods that the swine ate; and no one gave him anything.

But when he came to himself he said, 'How many of my father's hired servants have bread enough and to spare, but I perish here with hunger! I will arise and go to my father, and I will say to him, "Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you; I am no longer worthy to be called your son; treat me as one of your hired servants." '»



Every now and then we can all relate to this story. We have made choices in life that didn't take us where we wanted or where we dreamed of, but maybe into hopelessness and darkness. But maybe we also "came to ourselves" as this son did and long for a better life to live. If so - I have good news for you. The story doesn't end here. Please read on:

«And he arose and came to his father. But while he was yet at a distance, his father saw him and had compassion, and ran and embraced him and kissed him. And the son said to him, 'Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you; I am no longer worthy to be called your son.' But the father said to his servants, 'Bring quickly the best robe, and put it on him; and put a ring on his hand, and shoes on his feet; and bring the fatted calf and kill it, and let us eat and make merry; for this my son was dead, and is alive again; he was lost, and is found.' And they began to make merry.»

"And they began to be merry." No wonder. The father got his son back and the son was shown mercy and forgiven. And he wasn't even asked about all his exploits and his big spending. The father even ordered a big celebration! You may wonder why I tell this story to YOU? It's because this is the story of your life. Actually - it is about all of us - it tells us about the mercy of God: How He receives us as a father when we come to ourselves - and start walking toward Him. He is not busy with our failures and our sin. He is looking out for us - hoping that we will come to Him. It's because He loves us. YES; HE LOVES YOU!

God bless you!
Pastor Sveinung E. Ramstad

All Bible quotes from the Revised Standard Version of the Bible. This story is taken from Luke 15:11-24.