"Choose to be Found" talk

This is our tree - Tiny Tim. He is as wide as our 3 windows. Normally I would be annoyed about something like this because we are already limited on space, but Tiny Tim makes me chuckle when I see him. It was one of those things where you don't know what you are getting into until it is too late. 

Here is a talk that I gave yesterday for our Christmas services. Don't worry, it was only about 6 minutes long. :) Merry Christmas!

With Wondering Awe was the song I was asked to talk about.

When was the last time that you found yourself wondering?

When was the last time you stood in awe?

These are the things that stuck out to me in this song:

I picture standing outside, looking up at the plethora of stars.

I see a beautiful painting;

I witness a kind gesture;

I look at my huge Christmas tree, appropriately named “Tiny Tim”.

I feel warm water coming from my faucets;

I witness lights come on with the flick of a switch;

I hear a child perfectly play the piano piece that they have been practicing;

I see a stranger let me go in front of them in a busy traffic scene;

I see a loving mother holding a crying baby.

Are these not all things to sit in wonder at when we live in a world where we can let the natural man of blaring horns, angry rhetoric, lies, deceit, theft, and cruelty rule the day?

So, what do you wonder at? When do you stand in awe?

I hope that you will stand in quiet places and ponder on the blessings in your life, that you might be filled with wonder and awe. 

I recently read a story from an author named David Butler. He said, “When my oldest boys were little, I took them to an amusement park because I’m such a rocking dad. During lunch, while we were all standing in line for a million-dollar hamburger, I looked down to where my son Jack had been standing right next to me. He wasn’t there.

I was sort of bugged to lose my spot in line, but I figured he had wandered back to the rest of our crew who were saving a table, so I left the line to check at the table only to find them Jack-less. No sign of him. I started to worry a little. I stayed cool for about six seconds as we started to spread out around the restaurant but worry quickly escalated to panic.

Looking back, I don’t think it was that long, but in that moment, each second felt like an hour. I was flustered and afraid out of my mind.”

He continues, “Finally, I spotted him through a window! He had left the restaurant and was about 50 yards away in a gift shop having a little toddler conversation with a stuffed robot car. I cannot tell you the explosion of emotion I had. Gratitude he was found. Anger that he had wandered off. Stupidity for losing him. And a little bit of relief when I remembered that Mary and Joseph lost Jesus once. For three days. I didn’t feel as bad. The whole range of emotions surged through my veins, and my eyes watered with tears of every kind.”

Have you had something similar happen to you before? Have you lost something that couldn’t be located? Or maybe you were the one who was lost. What relief and gratitude you feel when whatever was missing is found?

Sometimes in life, you might consider yourself lost, just as the author’s child was. He says, “We are all seconds away from getting lost and are prone to falling, failing, and forgetting. It’s kind of what we do best. This is probably one of the reasons why the scriptures compare us to sheep more than 300 times.”

Sheep are prone to wander, are directionless, defenseless, an easy target for predators and will follow just about anything. The Savior talks about “His sheep” because we are a perfect parallel between actual sheep and our natural man mentality. How many times do we hear Christ speak of lost sheep? In fact, the first parable in the New Testament was of the lost sheep. So if you know that you are prone to be a lost sheep, what can you do about it? How can you be a better sheep, a better follower of your Savior? 

The Christmas season is a time when we focus on being a little more like Christ. We lovingly give to others and try really hard to be kind. But what if we tried to be like Christ all year round? What if for the next year you… chose to be found?

Could you honor our Savior this Christmas season and the new decade we are about to begin by choosing to be found? 

Choose to be found reading your scriptures. 

Choose to be found being kinder to your spouse. 

Choose to be found playing with your children or saying meaningful prayers. 

Choose to be found forgiving those who have wronged you. 

Choose to be found setting goals. 

Choose to be found singing uplifting songs, dancing, serving friends, writing letters, smiling,                     using your talents, reading, laughing, eating chocolate… 

And choose to be found standing in awe and wonder.

The entire purpose of Christ’s mission on Earth was for all of us “sheep” to find joy, love, peace, forgiveness, and wisdom. 

He came so that we could learn to love and be loved. 

He came so that we can live with God again in a perfect body. 

He came so that we can be with those we love so much. 

He came because of His Father’s perfect plan and to be perfectly obedient. 

Can we choose to give something back to our “Good Shepherd” in return? 

Brothers and sisters, I pray that throughout the coming year we will honor and worship this loving Savior sent only for the purpose of saving us, his wandering children. I pray that we will choose to be found.

In the name of Jesus Christ, Amen.

http://www.ldsliving.com/David-Butler-on-How-We-Have-More-in-Common-with-Wandering-Sheep-than-We-Realize/s/92082