He loves to see us use our creative power to turn, especially to see us turn our hearts.
Is it any wonder that he uses this invitation of turning many times in the scriptures?
The word turn is used nearly 700 times in scripture!
We are invited to,
Turn away from wickedness
Turn towards God
Turn our hearts to our Fathers, and the hearts of the Fathers to turn towards their children
Turn our tents towards the Temple
Turn our ears to the sound of Gods voice
Turn our eyes to God
Turn our hearts in repentance
We can turn away or we can turn towards…
Mortal life includes every kind of turn, but the most important turn is turning back to the light.
The most creative act a human can perform is to turn something around.
To go from the bottom of the “U” and turn around and rise again.
The classic parable of the Prodigal Son beautifully illustrates the turn-around.
After leaving home and squandering his inheritance in riotous living, the Prodigal son finds himself in the depths of despair. He has lost everything. He’s starving, he’s destitute, and most assuredly is in the bottom of the “U”. In a moment of illumination the scriptures tell us that “he came to himself”. He remembers his father and how even his servants have enough to eat. He then makes a choice that forever changes his life. He turns around and walks back home.
Even before he makes it home, his father see’s him afar off, and runs to him, embraces him, puts a ring on his finger and cloak on his back, he rejoices, calls for a celebration and for the fatted calf to be killed in honor of the return of his son.
GOD loves a turn-around.
And He’s waiting and willing and delighted to provide us every possible resource to help us rise back up.
Just like the father immediately provides every possible support to the Prodigal son, God’s entire plan of happiness includes a million and one ways to help us turn around:
Scripture.
Prayer.
Faith.
Repentance.
The Atonement.
Every part of his creations are to help us turn things around.
Nature.
Animals
Fresh Air.
The Beauty of the world.
Sunsets.
Good food.
Rest.
Inspired ideas and discoveries.
It’s all to help us turn around.
And most of all, we don’t have to do the turn around alone.
God helps us turn around.
Angels can help us turn around.
Even trusted people God places in our path can help us turn around, all so we can rise again.
You are a creator.
And the most creative act a human can perform is to turn something around.
You have everything you need to help you do this.
Imagine your life, turning things around, getting faster and faster at the turn around, using all the abundance of resources around you to turn around… and look forward with faith!
