p. 139 | I Have Lost My Way by Sel.

Publishing Committee · Battle Creek, Mich. · Mar 18, 1858

"I Have Lost My Way."

By Sel.

"I have lost my way," a little child said to me this morning. It had wandered too far from its father's house. "I want to go home," the little child said, and her tears fell thick and fast upon her little hands. I led the little lost one home, and it was sweet to witness the rejoicing of the parents over the restored lamb.

I have lost my way, I repeated sadly to myself, in these deep labyrinths of life—my feet wander in strange paths—the fruit which I had so fondly coveted, like the apples of Sodom, has turned to ashes on my lips—memories of my glad, prayerful childhood come sweeping over my soul—I have left my Father's house, and I too, want to go home.

God has made the parent a type of his own infinite love; and if an earthly father can say, "It was meet that we should be merry and be glad, for this my son was dead, and is alive again, and was lost, and is found," how much more will our heavenly Father welcome the wanderer's return to his protecting love! The sweetest tears shed are those of penitence. Some of the noblest steps trod are those which return from wanderings. A greater than a father's love waits to embrace the prodigal.—Sel.