I was powerfully reminded recently, by a most extraordinarily resilient departing missionary, of the significance of the Lord’s arms being ever extended wide after us. The Savior’s merciful arms are outstretched even, and especially, when we may feel lost, forsaken or left alone.
I have reflected on the fact that the sacred space between the Savior’s arms is exactly the size and shape of our broken hearts, battered lives, wounded souls and weary minds. Jesus ever widens the welcome to encircle us in His eternal, loving embrace.
Elder Neil L. Andersen of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles once taught, “The scriptures speak of His arms being open, extended, stretched out and encircling. They are described as mighty and holy, arms of mercy, arms of safety, arms of love, ‘lengthened out all the day long’ (2 Nephi 28:32).”
In his October 2022 general conference address, Elder Jeffrey R. Holland of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles poignantly proclaimed, “It is one of the most powerful paradoxes of the Crucifixion that the arms of the Savior were stretched wide open and then nailed there, unwittingly but accurately portraying that every man, woman and child in the entire human family is not only welcome but invited into His redeeming, exalting embrace.”
After a devotional with a large gathering in South America, President Russell M. Nelson had come down from the stand to shake hands with special guests and dignitaries in attendance. As he worked his way down the line of visitors, the world seemed to stand still when a little boy couldn’t be held back and ran toward President Nelson. (The jailbreak was on, and a number of other Primary children enthusiastically followed.)
Before anyone else knew what to do, the Prophet had dropped to his knees and scooped the children up into his outstretched arms. On his knees, it was as though the Prophet held the future of a nation in his arms. He widened the welcome, and he encircled the little ones as he gathered the little children into his loving embrace.
Elder Andersen tenderly described his interaction with President Thomas S. Monson after receiving his call in 2009 to the apostleship, saying, “I will forever remember his kindness as he extended my call last April. At the conclusion of our interview, he opened his arms to embrace me. President Monson is a tall man. As he wrapped his long arms around me and pulled me close, I felt like a little boy being held in the protective arms of a loving father.”
Reflecting on such a singular moment, Elder Andersen continued, “In the months since that experience, I have thought of the Lord’s invitation to come unto Him and to spiritually be wrapped in His arms. He said, ‘Behold, [my arms] of mercy [are] extended towards you, and whosoever will come, him will I receive; and blessed are those who come unto me’ (3 Nephi 9:14).”
President M. Russell Ballard, Acting President of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, recently shared with me his desire for each member of the Church of Jesus Christ to widen the welcome to anyone and everyone who walks into a sacrament service, class or quorum meeting. As we widen the welcome by greeting and sincerely engaging with others, President Ballard taught, “The Spirit of God can be ignited or reignited in their lives.”
President Ballard continued, “Watch the people that are coming in. We have the ability to take what we know to be true and use it to touch the hearts of those that are not members of the Church, and all that are members of the Church, to feel the marvelous message of the Restoration and the love of God and the Savior.”
Every individual who enters a Church building should sense a familiar embrace in the wide welcome of the Savior’s arms, as well as in the greeting and countenance of all those who are His followers and know that there is a sacred space for them.
I have learned in watching Elder Ulisses Soares of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles what it means to truly open wide your heart with love and compassion for all of God’s children. Images of Elder Soares often depict his infectious smile, joyful countenance and outstretched arms. Members of the Church of Jesus Christ, leaders of other faiths as well government and community officials around the world sense something deeply spiritual and powerful emanating from this Apostle. Arms ever extended and heart forever open, Elder Soares widens the welcome for all to feel our Savior’s love.
As if managing a house with 11 children wasn’t raucous, challenging and crazy enough, my parents were forever widening the welcome to anyone who needed a place to eat, a place to stay or a place to sleep. I realized years later that the large number of individuals drawn into our home weren’t really there for the wonderful food or safe shelter — they were there because of the wide welcome and loving arms my parents extended as they emulated the Savior Jesus Christ. The space between my parents’ arms and the space within the Savior’s reach provided each soul a moment to recognize there was a place for them.
Alma taught, “Thus the Lord did begin to pour out his Spirit upon them; and we see that his arm is extended to all people” (Alma 19:36) and, “Behold, he sendeth an invitation unto all men, for the arms of mercy are extended towards them” (Alma 5:33). And Nephi hopefully exclaimed, “I am encircled about eternally in the arms of his love” (2 Nephi 1:15).
Our hearts, homes, chapels and conversations should all be places to widen the welcome and create sacred space in between.
In 1997 Elder Holland eloquently stated, “May I be bold enough to suggest that it is impossible for anyone who really knows God to doubt His willingness to receive us with open arms in a divine embrace if we will but ‘come unto Him.’”
Jesus Christ stands at the gates of our days, our lives and eternity with open arms, declaring, “I will encircle thee in the arms of my love” (Doctrine and Covenants 6:20). Even if stumbling or staggering, we can fall into His outstretched arms, feel His love and know that the space between His arms has been consecrated, through His loving, atoning sacrifice, as a place for us.
— Boyd C. Matheson is bishop of the Manila 9th Ward, Pleasant Grove Utah Manila Stake, and hosts an afternoon program on KSL NewsRadio in Salt Lake City.
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