Tuesday, March 26, 2013
Isaiah 53:10...Otherwise Entitled: Prolong His Days
*NOTE TO THE READER: This particular post is not a required one for my Book of Mormon class - I've decided that I kinda like blogging. So I said to myself: "Sam, you are your own man - it's your blog, you can write a post whenevs you want to." And so that's what I've decided to do. Be warned, though: Another blog will be coming later this week in conjunction with my religion class.
Don't say I didn't warn you.....
I am the kind of guy who enjoys to ramble (You'll hopefully notice that the word 'ramble' is cleverly hidden in the web address of this here blog). Get me started on a subject I love to talk about, and I'll ramble for hours. A prime example of that: Stars. Far above us, below us, around us, millions and billions and trillions of miles away, are so many stars. Enormous balls of fiery gas and elemental reactions, powered by energy that scientists can only dream of. The mysteries that stars hold and the distances that are required to be traveled in order to reach said mysteries are so mind-boggling to me! And that's partly what makes them so very fascinating in my mind!
I've found that this is the case with a lot of things. When I don't understand a question or concept, I will either do one of two things: A) I will reject it and walk away from it because I am disinterested and without understanding (my math scores from high school should prove this point quite accurately); or 2) I will spend an excessive amount of time researching and studying out the problem so that I can finally come to a conclusion that fits.
For almost all of my life there has been one such problem that I have studied and pondered and thought about. I have received various answers pertaining to it, but never anything that can truly explain all of its mysteries. I feel that my situation reflects every other human being's in regards to this question; no mortal can truly fathom the depths of the answer that has been provided to us by God for this particular query.
The question that I speak of and have pondered many hours upon is that of the Atonement. For those who are unfamiliar with this term, please allow me to elaborate: When our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ entered the Garden of Gethsemane (located on the Mount of Olives outside of the city Jerusalem), He began to atone for the sins of mankind. This Atonement continued from Gethsemane until His triumphant Resurrection, and was the means whereby man can be saved from the deteriorating effects of sin and death. Because of the Atonement, we are ALL guaranteed our respective bodies of flesh and bone in their perfect states at Judgment Day. We will ALL be resurrected. Additionally, when we repent of our sins, are cleansed from iniquity, and follow after the commandments and covenants that God has set in place for us, we are given the opportunity to not only be resurrected, but to become glorified like God, and to become as He is.
This is what the Atonement does for us.
And our beloved Savior performed it for each and every one of us! It is both a collective gift of salvation for all of God's children, and a very individual and personal bestowal of eternal life to those who are faithful to the Lord's teachings.
What I've just explained are the basic teachings and principles of the Atonement (if you would like more information, I suggest talking with the missionaries of the LDS Church, or with an ecclesiastical leader of that faith - they will be more than happy to answer the questions you may have! I also apologize if my explanation was somewhat hard to understand; I tried to make it clear, but sometimes that only complicates things :) .
As I said, I've studied about the Atonement for most of my life, as has almost every other Christian on the face of the planet. However, in a recent religion class I had an interesting lesson that made me ponder about the Atonement in a totally new light.
My professor was discussing the 53rd chapter of Isaiah, and quoted this verse:
"Yet it pleased the Lord to bruise him [Jesus Christ]; he [God the Father] put him [Jesus Christ, His Only Begotten Son] to grief; when thou shalt make his soul [Christ's] an offering for sin, he [Christ] shall see his seed, he shall prolong his days, and the pleasure of the Lord shall prosper in his hand" (KJV Isaiah 53:10).
'Seed' in this context is a reference to 'children'. In the Book of Mormon we receive further insight on the 'seed' of Christ:
"And now, because of the covenant which ye have made ye shall be called the children of Christ, his sons, and his daughters; for behold, this day he hath spiritually begotten you; for ye say that your hearts are changed through faith on his name; therefore, ye are born of him and have become his sons and his daughters" (Mosiah 5:7).
We are all children of our beloved Heavenly Father, to whom we pray. We can additionally be adopted by Christ when we choose to follow Him and covenant with Him. (I know that this is a complex theological discussion in and of itself, just like the Atonement; if you do have questions regarding it, I highly encourage you to talk with the LDS missionaries, or with a bishop or stake president of that faith! :)
My professor here suggested that perhaps, while Christ suffered for our sins at Gethsemane, and maybe even in Roman chains and on Golgotha's cross, He might have '[seen] his seed' or the children of our Heavenly Father that He adopts through the covenant He makes with them. He might have seen those faithful saints and followers who worshiped Him prior to His coming; He might also have seen those of our Heavenly Father's children who had yet to come to earth, and who had yet to have their faith in Christ and His Atonement be tested by the trials and follies of this world.
In other words, He might have seen us.
Now I'd like to make a quick announcement here: What follows is speculation. It is not doctrine, just a possibility. I am not trying to make this canonical or scriptural, and I highly emphasize the fact that the 'for-sure' truth that we have pertaining to the Atonement of Christ can be found in the Holy Scriptures and in the words of living prophets today. I merely offer a speculation, only a speculation - an interesting one at that, though, that offered to me, at least, some very personal insights of my Savior that have helped me to appreciate His Atonement more fully.
Perhaps, as our Savior knelt in Gethsemane, bleeding and atoning for our sins, we each might have had a chance to be with Him. Perhaps, if He knelt at a large rock, gripping its sides as the pain and anguish of his body clenched and contracted His aching muscles, we might have stood on the other side of that rock and looked Him in the eye. Perhaps we would have knelt down on the other side of that altar (for those of you LDS members reading this who have had the experience to attend the temple, this might have a little more of a poignant message for you as well), clasping His tired hands in our own. Maybe we would have looked at Him and said: "Please, Lord, don't stop. Please...do this for me."
And then He might have looked up at us, and, with pain in His voice but hope in His eyes, He would say: "I will, Sam. I love you."
Think of that for a moment. Three of the most powerful words in the English language - I. Love. You. - all combined as a Being of divine authority and power condescended to earth to atone for a mortal and weak mankind. Why would He do something so powerful, so painful, so terrible and great and wonderful and unbearable?
Because He loves us. He loves me. He loves you, whoever you are and whatever circumstances you may be in.
It says in Isaiah 53:10 that "when...he shall see his seed, he shall prolong his days." My professor suggested that maybe, in seeing us, those priceless children of God whom He loves so deeply, Christ received the extra measure of strength necessary to go on performing the infinite Atonement that has now set us free from the bands of death and hell.
And yet, we are supposed to "liken all scriptures unto us, that it might be for our profit and learning" (1 Nephi 19:23). It is certainly speculation when I say that mayhaps we had a brief but personal moment with the Savior as He atoned for our sins, and that mayhaps that moment, combined with the trillion others as the rest of God's children stood before Him and pleaded with Him to "do this for me". However, it is not speculation, but a firm testimony that I give now, when I say that when we reverse those tables - when we are suffering through the trials and agonies of life, when the hard times are at their hardest - when we hear or feel His words say to us: "Please...do this for Me"...well, my friends, that is when we must prolong our days. That is when we must call upon our last reserves of strength and courage to persevere through our current trials and tribulations. That is when we must walk but a portion of the hard road that Jesus walked for us. That is when we must call upon the aid of Christ and the miraculous Atonement He made for each of us. That is when we need not suffer alone - that is when we must turn to Christ and let Him help us to "prolong [our] days".
My friends, my brothers and sisters, I don't understand the meaning of many of the difficulties in my own life. Nor do I understand the reasoning behind the heartache and distress that we each are called to go through at some point or another whilst on this earth. All I can say for certain is this: Christ has done it for us. All we have to do now is rely on Him, trust in His knowledge and care, and then act accordingly. With faith, good works, and a hope in His grace, we can have "the pleasure of the Lord...prosper in [our hands]". With a knowledge that the Savior performed an infinite Atonement that can wipe away our sins, that can repeatedly correct the multiple wrongs we shall certainly perform in this life, we can move forward with faith, and hope, and love of God in our hearts.
Let us spread this good news, my friends! Let us spread these glad tidings of great joy! Let us prolong our days for Him, and let us dedicate those days to Him.
May God be with you till we meet again, my dear friends.
Sam
Monday, March 25, 2013
Mormon 1:6...Otherwise Entitled: FAMILY :)
I am the kind of guy who enjoys to ramble (You'll hopefully notice that the word 'ramble' is cleverly hidden in the web address of this here blog). Get me started on a subject I love to talk about, and I'll ramble for hours. A prime example of that: Spaghetti. One fine Sunday afternoon, I decided to make some of it [and by 'it', I mean spaghetti]. I grabbed a package that was slightly bigger than the others I'd bought, and went about my way making some spaghetti. I grabbed a pot, filled it with water, and began breaking the spaghetti noodles in half and throwing them into it. When I was about halfway through the package, I realize that there was a lot of spaghetti in the pot. Turns out that I'd made an ENORMOUS amount of spaghetti, and had completely underestimated just how much was in that package.
As I dumped the spaghetti into a strainer to cool off and drain the water, I couldn't help but stare mournfully at the mountain of pasta that stood before me. I'd only used half a package, but I'd made enough spaghetti to feed a small army for a month.
[Okay, so I might be exaggerating just a wee bit; but what's a story without some embellishment?! :) ]
I thought to myself: I have made a huge mistake. Too much of a good thing is never good...right?
Well, when we talk about spaghetti, then I wholeheartedly agree with that statement. When we talk about toys or video games or hobbies, too much of that really good thing can sometimes be detrimental or a wasteful use of our time.
There are only a few things in this world that defy that principle of 'Too much of a good thing'. Today I'd like to talk about one of them.
Before I do though, I'd like to share Mormon 1:6, a verse that we discussed in a religion class of mine:
"And it came to pass that I [Mormon, later to become a warrior-prophet who would abridge the sacred writings of his people into a single volume, the Book of Mormon], being eleven years old, was carried by my father into the land southward..."
My religion professor made the comment that young Mormon's family, who moved from their original home to another, can parallel many modern-day families. Perhaps Mormon's family was facing hard times - financially, socially, politically, spiritually, emotionally - or perhaps they merely needed a change of scenery. Perhaps it only mentions Mormon's father because his mother recently passed away; or mayhaps it is because Mormon's father was the patriarch of a large family, and for the sake of convenience Mormon only mentioned him. We may never know; all that we can be sure of is Mormon and his family were relocated to another place.
Not just Mormon; not just Mormon's father - it was their whole family. And it is about the FAMILY that I'd like to talk about today.
There have been several notable persons who have affirmed that the family is the building block of society. In The Family: A Proclamation to the World (written and delivered by the First Presidency and Quorum of the Twelve Apostles of the LDS Church in 1995), we read:
"The family is ordained of God. Marriage between man and woman is essential...Children are entitled to birth within the bonds of matrimony, and to be reared by a father and a mother who honor marital vows with complete fidelity. Happiness in family life is most likely to be achieved when founded upon the teachings of the Lord Jesus Christ."
The family is a precious gift that God has given us, an institution that this world in this age seeks to threaten and harm by various means and ways. Love is mocked, rudeness and disrespect are encouraged, the values that parents try to cultivate in their children are now degraded and trodden under the foot of the media, violence, pornography, drugs, and so forth.
The FAMILY - this is one of those exceptions to the rule of 'Too much of a good thing is not good'. The family seems to invoke another age-old adage: You can never have too much of this good thing.
Lately my thoughts have been directed towards my family. Thanks to a conference my father was going to attend near my university, I was able to spend the past weekend with my family, who commuted down here in near-blizzard conditions. We played games, walked around campus, talked, laughed, watched a movie or two, and just had a good time.
Never have I been more appreciative of my sisters or my parents. My heart ached as I bid them farewell and watched them drive away from my apartment; I just wanted to be with them.
My love for my family has grown tenfold since the death of my younger brother, nearly three months ago. As I stood there over his open casket, my hands holding his, tears freely flowing down my face, I half-thought, half-said aloud a plea that my brother, whenever he was able to, be allowed to be with the rest of his family. I prayed for him, and I still pray for him; and I feel that, although he is physically gone from us, his spirit was with my parents, my sisters, and I as we spent time together. This calming, soothing reassurance that I will see my brother again brings greater faith in my Savior Jesus Christ, whose atoning sacrifice made sure the resurrection of the souls of men.
We are all part of families, whether or not they are sundered by death, divorce, financial difficulties, lack of employment, too much employment, sickness, or distance. In addition to these mortal families that are meant to be the vehicles of joy and delight in this mortal phase of existence, we are all part of God's family. We are all His sons and daughters, imbued with a divine destiny and heritage. We are meant to become like Him, and have our own families as He does. We are meant to love and to cherish.
The perfect place to practice this eventual grandeur is in our own homes, with the families He has blessed us with. And the perfect time to defend this eternal and valuable blessing is the HERE AND NOW! A man and a wife - held together by the covenant of marriage, through sickness, health, poverty, wealth, hard times, and good times - with their children (if they are able to have them; whether or not they are biological or adopted). That is the family unit that God has ordained for His children on earth. That is what we must defend!
*For more information pertaining to the LDS beliefs and standards of family, I highly suggest that you take a moment and read The Family: A Proclamation to the World. It is an excellent read, and outlines and defines all that I've spoken on and much more!*
I am very thankful for what the LDS faith holds to be true regarding the family. We believe that families are eternal; that in the temple sacred ordinances and covenants enable us to be with our families forever. Death can sunder those bonds only temporarily; and even then we still have our departed loved ones beside us. This truth has brought SO MUCH comfort to me, especially since these past few weeks have been full of thoughts of my brother. I anticipate the day when he and I shall be reunited; I am excited for all of the stories and adventures we'll tell and swap with one another. He is my best friend, both before and after he passed away, and his influence is still pivotal and prevailing in my life today. I am so grateful for him, and for the fact that he'll always be my brother :)
To some this doctrine of family may be strange or embarrassing or even offending, but I stand as a witness that it is truth. For that fact I am so grateful and so blessed. Whether you are at home or a phone call away, tell your family how much you love them as soon as you possibly can! Let's make this world a better place, one family at a time!
May God be with you till we meet again, my friends.
Sam
As I dumped the spaghetti into a strainer to cool off and drain the water, I couldn't help but stare mournfully at the mountain of pasta that stood before me. I'd only used half a package, but I'd made enough spaghetti to feed a small army for a month.
[Okay, so I might be exaggerating just a wee bit; but what's a story without some embellishment?! :) ]
I thought to myself: I have made a huge mistake. Too much of a good thing is never good...right?
Well, when we talk about spaghetti, then I wholeheartedly agree with that statement. When we talk about toys or video games or hobbies, too much of that really good thing can sometimes be detrimental or a wasteful use of our time.
There are only a few things in this world that defy that principle of 'Too much of a good thing'. Today I'd like to talk about one of them.
Before I do though, I'd like to share Mormon 1:6, a verse that we discussed in a religion class of mine:
"And it came to pass that I [Mormon, later to become a warrior-prophet who would abridge the sacred writings of his people into a single volume, the Book of Mormon], being eleven years old, was carried by my father into the land southward..."
My religion professor made the comment that young Mormon's family, who moved from their original home to another, can parallel many modern-day families. Perhaps Mormon's family was facing hard times - financially, socially, politically, spiritually, emotionally - or perhaps they merely needed a change of scenery. Perhaps it only mentions Mormon's father because his mother recently passed away; or mayhaps it is because Mormon's father was the patriarch of a large family, and for the sake of convenience Mormon only mentioned him. We may never know; all that we can be sure of is Mormon and his family were relocated to another place.
Not just Mormon; not just Mormon's father - it was their whole family. And it is about the FAMILY that I'd like to talk about today.
There have been several notable persons who have affirmed that the family is the building block of society. In The Family: A Proclamation to the World (written and delivered by the First Presidency and Quorum of the Twelve Apostles of the LDS Church in 1995), we read:
"The family is ordained of God. Marriage between man and woman is essential...Children are entitled to birth within the bonds of matrimony, and to be reared by a father and a mother who honor marital vows with complete fidelity. Happiness in family life is most likely to be achieved when founded upon the teachings of the Lord Jesus Christ."
The family is a precious gift that God has given us, an institution that this world in this age seeks to threaten and harm by various means and ways. Love is mocked, rudeness and disrespect are encouraged, the values that parents try to cultivate in their children are now degraded and trodden under the foot of the media, violence, pornography, drugs, and so forth.
The FAMILY - this is one of those exceptions to the rule of 'Too much of a good thing is not good'. The family seems to invoke another age-old adage: You can never have too much of this good thing.
Lately my thoughts have been directed towards my family. Thanks to a conference my father was going to attend near my university, I was able to spend the past weekend with my family, who commuted down here in near-blizzard conditions. We played games, walked around campus, talked, laughed, watched a movie or two, and just had a good time.
Never have I been more appreciative of my sisters or my parents. My heart ached as I bid them farewell and watched them drive away from my apartment; I just wanted to be with them.
My love for my family has grown tenfold since the death of my younger brother, nearly three months ago. As I stood there over his open casket, my hands holding his, tears freely flowing down my face, I half-thought, half-said aloud a plea that my brother, whenever he was able to, be allowed to be with the rest of his family. I prayed for him, and I still pray for him; and I feel that, although he is physically gone from us, his spirit was with my parents, my sisters, and I as we spent time together. This calming, soothing reassurance that I will see my brother again brings greater faith in my Savior Jesus Christ, whose atoning sacrifice made sure the resurrection of the souls of men.
We are all part of families, whether or not they are sundered by death, divorce, financial difficulties, lack of employment, too much employment, sickness, or distance. In addition to these mortal families that are meant to be the vehicles of joy and delight in this mortal phase of existence, we are all part of God's family. We are all His sons and daughters, imbued with a divine destiny and heritage. We are meant to become like Him, and have our own families as He does. We are meant to love and to cherish.
The perfect place to practice this eventual grandeur is in our own homes, with the families He has blessed us with. And the perfect time to defend this eternal and valuable blessing is the HERE AND NOW! A man and a wife - held together by the covenant of marriage, through sickness, health, poverty, wealth, hard times, and good times - with their children (if they are able to have them; whether or not they are biological or adopted). That is the family unit that God has ordained for His children on earth. That is what we must defend!
*For more information pertaining to the LDS beliefs and standards of family, I highly suggest that you take a moment and read The Family: A Proclamation to the World. It is an excellent read, and outlines and defines all that I've spoken on and much more!*
I am very thankful for what the LDS faith holds to be true regarding the family. We believe that families are eternal; that in the temple sacred ordinances and covenants enable us to be with our families forever. Death can sunder those bonds only temporarily; and even then we still have our departed loved ones beside us. This truth has brought SO MUCH comfort to me, especially since these past few weeks have been full of thoughts of my brother. I anticipate the day when he and I shall be reunited; I am excited for all of the stories and adventures we'll tell and swap with one another. He is my best friend, both before and after he passed away, and his influence is still pivotal and prevailing in my life today. I am so grateful for him, and for the fact that he'll always be my brother :)
To some this doctrine of family may be strange or embarrassing or even offending, but I stand as a witness that it is truth. For that fact I am so grateful and so blessed. Whether you are at home or a phone call away, tell your family how much you love them as soon as you possibly can! Let's make this world a better place, one family at a time!
May God be with you till we meet again, my friends.
Sam
Monday, March 18, 2013
3 Nephi 23:1...Otherwise Entitled: Milk, Meat, and Mercy
I am the kind of guy who enjoys to ramble (You'll hopefully notice that the word 'ramble' is cleverly hidden in the web address of this here blog). Get me started on a subject I love to talk about, and I'll ramble for hours. A prime example of that: Steak. Just thinking about it almost makes my mouth water. Yum. Steak is delicious, exquisite, and delightful to eat...but it is a food that can only be appreciated by those who are physically able to eat it. A baby would find steak far less appealing than the other foods that are necessary for its growth (e.g. milk and Gerbers).
In the LDS faith this example of 'milk v. meat' can have many spiritual parallels, the chiefest being this: The 'milk' of the Gospel - otherwise known as the basic principles and teachings of the Church - is what we as youth and younglings in the Church must consume at first, and continue doing so throughout the rest of our lives. The 'meat' of the Gospel is the weightier, sometimes harder-to-understand doctrines and principles of the Church that are studied, pondered, and understood alongside the 'milk' once the individual or collective are spiritually mature enough for it.
An example of this 'meat' is the book of Isaiah, found in the Old Testament. Whether or not you are a member of the LDS faith, the writings of Isaiah are beautiful, profound, and often extremely difficult to understand. Because of our modern-day lifestyles and misunderstanding of historical contexts, the book of Isaiah becomes one of those sections of scripture that many faithful members of many religious sects choose to skip over or merely skim through.
When the Savior Jesus Christ was preaching amongst the ancient inhabitants of the Americas, He gave them an interesting commandment:
"And now, behold, I say unto you, that ye ought to search these things. Yea, a commandment I give unto you that ye search these things diligently; for great are the words of Isaiah" (3 Nephi 23:1).
The words of Isaiah are great in the sight of God - the One Who gave those words to that prophet! If the Lord puts such great emphasis on this particular example of 'meat' to be had in the scriptures, we should indeed do more than merely speed through Isaiah's words. We need to take a close, in-depth, personal study of this prophet in order to come to know our Savior and Redeemer, even Jesus Christ, as well as ourselves, even better.
For time's sake, I shall examine but a single verse from Isaiah's writings, and hope that, after we've read through it, we all will have a greater desire to undertake the task of studying Isaiah and coming closer to our Lord and Savior through his words.
"Therefore the Lord shall have no joy in their young men, neither shall have mercy on their fatherless and widows: for every one is an hypocrite and an evildoer, and every mouth speaketh folly. For all this his anger is not turned away, but his hand is stretched out still" (JST Isaiah 9:17).
There is not much context to explain behind this verse, other than this: The House of Israel has sinned against her God, and He must punish her for breaking the covenants and commandments that He has given to that chosen nation. The Lord must chasten the children of Israel, and their chastening must be severe. Israel has left the sight of God; now God must punish it.
The last sentence of this verse is particularly intriguing: "For all this his anger is not turned away, but his hand is stretched out still." Most of the scholarly world interprets this scripture to mean that the Lord will punish Israel, and His almighty hand is held up still, prepared to 'beat more sense' into the rebellious nation of His covenant. This interpretation does illustrate the justice of God, a force that I will not discredit nor disregard; but, if I may, I would like to share the classic LDS view of this scripture.
"For all this his anger is not turned away" - The Lord will have justice and recompense for the sins of Israel. They must repent; their hearts have become so hardened, though, that it seems unlikely that they will repent by themselves. God must chasten them and bring hard trials upon and against them in the hopes that they will remember Him.
"But his hand is stretched out still" - Here we can find great comfort. This phrase illustrates not God's justice, but God's mercy. The Lord is one who demands recompense for sins, but offers complete forgiveness for those sins. At first, such a principle as this would be considered confusing and complicated, but in reality it is far from such.
When we repent and return to the Lord in the sincerity of our hearts, forsaking the wrong things that we've done, we are given the opportunity to accept and receive this divine mercy. When we leave behind the quiet invitations of our loving God and follow after the false gods and idols that likewise ensnared the Israel of Isaiah's day, we only invoke the judgment and justice of God.
The turning point of this whole equation, the one variable that makes the laws of justice and mercy coincide and cooperate so perfectly, is not of mortal origin; rather, that one piece of the puzzle that makes the principles of justice and mercy function properly is a Being of ultimate power. He is Jesus Christ, our Mediator with God the Father. Christ suffered on Golgotha and in Gethsemane the wrath of Almighty God. He endured the justice of God that we but partially feel when we are chastened and afflicted.
Christ suffered the justice of God so that He might be able to extend that divine mercy to those who will accept it. He took upon Himself that justice so that, if we will turn to Him and follow in His ways, fulfilling the commandments and ordinances He has set before us in mortality, we may lay claim to His mercy and become like Him. If we forsake Him, then we must inevitably suffer the justice of God that Christ Himself suffered, the horrors of which cannot be imagined by the human mind.
My friends, this divine and magnificent truth that we've just discussed has been analyzed from a single verse of scripture from the book of Isaiah. A single verse! There are sixty-six chapters in this marvelous book, and almost every single verse within all of these chapters has something to offer that will testify of Christ, and strengthen our testimony in Him through such a concise but poignant study as the one that we have just made.
I encourage each and every one of us - myself included - to take a more serious study of the writings of Isaiah to heart. His words, the words inspired by God Himself, will bring us happiness, joy, and the desire to live righteously and worthy of the mercy of the Lord.
May God be with you till we meet again, my friends.
Sam
In the LDS faith this example of 'milk v. meat' can have many spiritual parallels, the chiefest being this: The 'milk' of the Gospel - otherwise known as the basic principles and teachings of the Church - is what we as youth and younglings in the Church must consume at first, and continue doing so throughout the rest of our lives. The 'meat' of the Gospel is the weightier, sometimes harder-to-understand doctrines and principles of the Church that are studied, pondered, and understood alongside the 'milk' once the individual or collective are spiritually mature enough for it.
An example of this 'meat' is the book of Isaiah, found in the Old Testament. Whether or not you are a member of the LDS faith, the writings of Isaiah are beautiful, profound, and often extremely difficult to understand. Because of our modern-day lifestyles and misunderstanding of historical contexts, the book of Isaiah becomes one of those sections of scripture that many faithful members of many religious sects choose to skip over or merely skim through.
When the Savior Jesus Christ was preaching amongst the ancient inhabitants of the Americas, He gave them an interesting commandment:
"And now, behold, I say unto you, that ye ought to search these things. Yea, a commandment I give unto you that ye search these things diligently; for great are the words of Isaiah" (3 Nephi 23:1).
The words of Isaiah are great in the sight of God - the One Who gave those words to that prophet! If the Lord puts such great emphasis on this particular example of 'meat' to be had in the scriptures, we should indeed do more than merely speed through Isaiah's words. We need to take a close, in-depth, personal study of this prophet in order to come to know our Savior and Redeemer, even Jesus Christ, as well as ourselves, even better.
For time's sake, I shall examine but a single verse from Isaiah's writings, and hope that, after we've read through it, we all will have a greater desire to undertake the task of studying Isaiah and coming closer to our Lord and Savior through his words.
"Therefore the Lord shall have no joy in their young men, neither shall have mercy on their fatherless and widows: for every one is an hypocrite and an evildoer, and every mouth speaketh folly. For all this his anger is not turned away, but his hand is stretched out still" (JST Isaiah 9:17).
There is not much context to explain behind this verse, other than this: The House of Israel has sinned against her God, and He must punish her for breaking the covenants and commandments that He has given to that chosen nation. The Lord must chasten the children of Israel, and their chastening must be severe. Israel has left the sight of God; now God must punish it.
The last sentence of this verse is particularly intriguing: "For all this his anger is not turned away, but his hand is stretched out still." Most of the scholarly world interprets this scripture to mean that the Lord will punish Israel, and His almighty hand is held up still, prepared to 'beat more sense' into the rebellious nation of His covenant. This interpretation does illustrate the justice of God, a force that I will not discredit nor disregard; but, if I may, I would like to share the classic LDS view of this scripture.
"For all this his anger is not turned away" - The Lord will have justice and recompense for the sins of Israel. They must repent; their hearts have become so hardened, though, that it seems unlikely that they will repent by themselves. God must chasten them and bring hard trials upon and against them in the hopes that they will remember Him.
"But his hand is stretched out still" - Here we can find great comfort. This phrase illustrates not God's justice, but God's mercy. The Lord is one who demands recompense for sins, but offers complete forgiveness for those sins. At first, such a principle as this would be considered confusing and complicated, but in reality it is far from such.
When we repent and return to the Lord in the sincerity of our hearts, forsaking the wrong things that we've done, we are given the opportunity to accept and receive this divine mercy. When we leave behind the quiet invitations of our loving God and follow after the false gods and idols that likewise ensnared the Israel of Isaiah's day, we only invoke the judgment and justice of God.
The turning point of this whole equation, the one variable that makes the laws of justice and mercy coincide and cooperate so perfectly, is not of mortal origin; rather, that one piece of the puzzle that makes the principles of justice and mercy function properly is a Being of ultimate power. He is Jesus Christ, our Mediator with God the Father. Christ suffered on Golgotha and in Gethsemane the wrath of Almighty God. He endured the justice of God that we but partially feel when we are chastened and afflicted.
Christ suffered the justice of God so that He might be able to extend that divine mercy to those who will accept it. He took upon Himself that justice so that, if we will turn to Him and follow in His ways, fulfilling the commandments and ordinances He has set before us in mortality, we may lay claim to His mercy and become like Him. If we forsake Him, then we must inevitably suffer the justice of God that Christ Himself suffered, the horrors of which cannot be imagined by the human mind.
My friends, this divine and magnificent truth that we've just discussed has been analyzed from a single verse of scripture from the book of Isaiah. A single verse! There are sixty-six chapters in this marvelous book, and almost every single verse within all of these chapters has something to offer that will testify of Christ, and strengthen our testimony in Him through such a concise but poignant study as the one that we have just made.
I encourage each and every one of us - myself included - to take a more serious study of the writings of Isaiah to heart. His words, the words inspired by God Himself, will bring us happiness, joy, and the desire to live righteously and worthy of the mercy of the Lord.
May God be with you till we meet again, my friends.
Sam
Saturday, March 16, 2013
Isaiah 54:7-8...Otherwise Entitled: The Parable of the Shoppers
*NOTE TO THE READER: This particular post is not a required one for my Book of Mormon class - I've decided that I kinda like blogging. So I said to myself: "Sam, you are your own man - it's your blog, you can write a post whenevs you want to." And so that's what I've decided to do. Be warned, though: Another blog will be coming later this week in conjunction with my religion class.
This blog has additional import: It is a copy of a term paper I had to write for a religion class. It will be longer than all of the other posts that I have put here. I do hope that you might get a chance to read it, and I hope that you will enjoy it :)
But, like I said, it is LONG.
Don't say I didn't warn you.....
THE PARABLE OF THE SHOPPERS: The
Gathering of Israel and Redemption of Zion
In latter days as well as in times
of old, the House of Israel has been the chosen vessel of the Lord, the people
by whom He enlightens the rest of mankind with His knowledge, power, and
blessings. And yet, through her own choice of disobedience, Israel in ancient
days forsook her God and worshipped “the work of their own hands, that which
their own fingers had made” (Isaiah 2:8). However, God’s covenant still
remained, and the Restoration of His Gospel through Joseph Smith became the
“ensign for the nations, [to] assemble the outcasts of Israel, and gather
together the dispersed of Judah” (Isaiah 11:12). We now live in the time of the
gathering of Israel and the redemption of God’s Zion.
Perhaps
this principle is best illustrated in what I like to call ‘The Parable of the
Shoppers’. Imagine, for a moment, that a mother and father went to a large
store, and brought with them their young children. The parents repeatedly told
the children that if they would stay by them, they (the parents) would buy
their kids candy or some sort of goodie at the end of the trip. As they walked
around the store, the kids became distracted by various toys that seemed to
pull them away from their parents; repeatedly Mom and Dad would call for their
children to come back or else the treat at the end of the trip would be
forfeited.
Several
times the kids returned to walk beside their parents, but inevitably they
wandered off again, this time straying far beyond the sound of their parents’
voice. For a time these children wandered around the store, lost and allured by
innumerable distractions and devices.
At
long last one older child sought out his parents, who had been frantically
searching for their lost kids. They quickly decided upon a meeting place and
time for the family to reunite, and then they sent their child who returned to
help them search for the other children. In due course of time, the parents and
their children (who had been found and gathered together through the help of
the older child) met at the foreordained place, and, after a quick rebuke and a
swift outpouring of love and gratitude for their reunion, the family went about
their business.
Hopefully
this parable helps illustrate the broad history—past, present, and future—of
the House of Israel, God’s covenant people. Throughout this course of this
essay, we can liken those parents in this parable to the God of the Old
Testament, Jehovah, and the Savior of the New, Jesus Christ, who are the same
Being. The children are, of course, the House of Israel.
As
has been stated, the House of Israel was God’s chosen nation, His
covenant-making and –keeping people. But what covenant established this
peculiar and pivotal relationship with God? And to whom was it given?
The
answer to these questions can be found in Genesis 12-22, and in Abraham 2:6-13,
in which the Lord made a covenant with Father Abraham in days of yore. In
essence, this covenant, according to Abraham’s worthiness and faithfulness,
would yield to him “land which I [Jehovah] will give unto thy seed after thee
[Abraham] for an everlasting possession, when they hearken to my voice”
(Abraham 2:6). The Lord God promised Abraham seed beyond number, a Priesthood
beyond earthly power, and deliverance from carnal devices; in addition, He
revealed to Abraham the truths, principles, ordinances, and covenants of the
everlasting Gospel.
The
knowledge and blessings were passed down through Abraham’s birthright son,
Isaac, and then on to his second-born, Jacob, who ‘bought’ the birthright and
the blessings of the covenant from his elder brother Esau. Jacob—whose name was
changed to Israel by God Himself (see
Genesis 35:9-13)—became the father and patriarch of the House of Israel, the
covenant people of the Lord, who had the knowledge and blessings of the
Abrahamic Covenant above discussed.
It
is through the writings of Isaiah that we learn many great and wonderful
details about the consequences of both breaking and keeping this covenant. In
keeping this covenant, we are given the opportunity to “go up to the mountain
of the Lord, to the house of the God of Jacob; and he will teach us of his
ways, and we will walk in his paths: for out of Zion shall go forth the law,
and the word of the Lord from Jerusalem” (Isaiah 2:3). This beautiful and
highly poetic passage of Hebraic writing demonstrates the love that God has for
His chosen people, and the willingness He displays in order to teach them of
His mysteries.
But
God will not be mocked, and once His chosen have forsaken Him and turned to
false gods and idols, His wrath cannot be stayed. “For they shall be visited of
the Lord of hosts with thunder, and with earthquake, and great noise, with
storm and tempest, and the flame of devouring fire” (JST Isaiah 29:6).
Throughout
the history of the Israelites, they often wandered from the encircling arms of
Jehovah to participate in the crude and wicked ceremonies of Ba’al, Ashteroth,
Molech, and other heathen gods of the indigenous Canaanites. This tendency to
wander can be equated with the frequent distractions that the little children
of the Parable of the Shoppers had; they too left the side of their parents,
eager to be enthralled by interesting toys and frivolities. It was only when
their parents called that they returned.
But
the day was soon coming when these children—both in the store, and of the House
of Israel—would wander completely away from their parents’ warning voices.
The
kingdom of Israel (governed chiefly by the tribe of Ephraim, a son of Joseph
son of Jacob/Israel, and populated by ten of the Twelve Tribes of the House of
Israel) was the first of the two Israelite kingdoms to turn completely from God
and follow after the groves of Ashteroth and Ba’al. In approximately 720 B.C.
the Lord allowed the Assyrian Empire to conquer Israel and disperse the Ten
Tribes throughout the ancient world. As told to Isaiah by the Lord, the
Assyrians came close to conquering the other Israelite kingdom, Judah, but did
not succeed: “Now therefore, behold, the Lord bringeth up upon them [the
kingdom of Judah] the waters of the river, strong and many, even the king of
Assyria, and all his glory…he shall pass through Judah; he shall overthrow and
go over, he shall reach even to the neck” (Isaiah 8:7-8).
In
other words, Judah would be nearly completely overrun by the Assyrian armies,
but would eventually be saved by the might of God, as demonstrated in Isaiah
37:36—“Then the angel of the Lord went forth, and smote in the camp of the
Assyrians [185,000 soldiers]: and when they arose early in the morning, behold,
they were all dead corpses.”
However,
God knew, and through His Spirit Isaiah could foresee, that even the kingdom of
Judah—whose capitol was Jerusalem, in which stood the Holy Temple—would one day
apostatize just like her northern counterpart, the kingdom of Israel. He
alerted the kingdom of Judah to this fact by preaching of the might of Babylon,
at that time now more than a minor city in Assyria that would one day grow to
become the superpower of the ancient world. One day (in approximately one
hundred and fifty years), Babylon would overthrow the apostate city of
Jerusalem and would carry the remainder of the House of Israel into captivity.
If
we recall the Parable of the Shoppers, we can now see that this
Diaspora—spurred by wickedness and disobedience on the part of the children of
Israel—can be correlated to the children finally wandering away from the sound
of their parents’ voices. Because the children of Israel were unwilling to keep
the commandments of God and walk in the ways of the Abrahamic Covenant, they
were forced into exile and scattered all throughout the four corners of the
world. And yet they still bore the title of God’s covenant children; He would
still keep the promise that He had made to Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, and so many
of the prophets and leaders of that people.
This
meant that a gathering of the House
of Israel had to occur.
We
must keep in mind the fact that all mankind is an enormous family, spiritually
and physically. The House of Israel is the chosen branch of the human family to
bring the light of the Lord’s Gospel to the rest of the world, in order to
bring them Home to that God who gave them life. But with Israel scattered and
lost, who will gather that House so that the rest of the world may be saved?
And where will Israel gather?
Through
a series of events that culminated in the tribe of Reuben losing the birthright
of the Abrahamic Covenant—that is, to head the House of Israel—Ephraim was
given that honor. Ephraim, as we must recall, was the chief tribe of the
kingdom of Israel. Judah and Ephraim, the two largest tribes of the House of
Israel, were often at odds with each other; there are many historical reasons
for their separation into opposing kingdoms.
Because
the tribe of Ephraim bears the birthright of Israel, it must be that tribe that
begins to gather the House of Israel, as guided and directed by the God of
Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. At that time, the “envy...of Ephraim shall depart,
and the adversaries of Judah shall be cut off: Ephraim shall not envy Judah,
and Judah shall not vex Ephraim” (Isaiah 11:13).
Today
we now know of the tribe of Judah as the Jewish people, whose gathering back to
the Holy Land of their forefathers is in accordance with the prophecies of old.
And Ephraim? This tribe is symbolized by the older child of the parable, who
returned to his parents and helped to seek out the other lost children. We
learn of Ephraim’s mission, and of the latter-day leader of that tribe, in the
words of the Book of Mormon: “For Joseph [the son of Jacob, who was sold into
slavery in Egypt] truly testified, saying: A seer shall the Lord my God raise
up, who shall be a choice seer unto the fruit of my loins...And unto him will I
[the Lord God] give commandment that he shall do a work for the fruit of thy
loins, his brethren, which shall be of great worth unto them, even to the
bringing of them to the knowledge of the covenants which I have made with thy
fathers...And out of weakness he shall be made strong, in that day when my work
shall commence among all my people, unto the restoring thee, O house of Israel,
saith the Lord” (2 Nephi 3:6-7, 13).
This
is a reference to Joseph Smith, the Prophet of the Restoration, who was blessed
and foreordained by God to bring about a restoration not only of the Abrahamic
Covenant to the House of Israel, but also of the new and everlasting covenant
of the principles and ordinances of this Gospel to the earth. There have been
times when the tribe of Ephraim has been equated to the Latter-day Saints, and the
tribe of Judah of course to the Jews. Together these two chief tribes shall
bring about the gathering of the rest of the children of Israel, and with them
the entire human family.
Recall
now, from the Parable of the Shoppers, that the parents designated a
meeting-place for the family. In scriptures, this meeting-place is known as Zion. Throughout the ancient writ, Zion
and Jerusalem are considered the same location; in latter-day revelation and
scripture we learn of a New Jerusalem, to be built on the American continent. For
the most part, Judah shall gather at Old Jerusalem, and Ephraim at the New
Jerusalem (according to scripture, to be built in Missouri): both are
equivalent to Zion.
But
Zion is more than a physical place. “And the Lord called his people Zion, because they were of one heart and
one mind, and dwelt in righteousness; and there was no poor among them” (Moses
7:18). When we speak of redeeming Zion, we could literally be referring to the
physical location, the ‘meeting-place’ for our shopping family. We could also
be referring to the spiritual redemption of Zion, the return of the House of
Israel to the covenants given by Jehovah to Father Abraham. For the purpose of
time and length, we shall discuss the spiritual redemption of Zion.
Even
though Judah and Ephraim and the rest of Israel abandoned their God, even
though the children wandered beyond the voices of the parents in the
store—Jehovah will still have mercy on His chosen people, and upon all those
who will listen and heed the message that they bring. “For a small moment have
I forsaken thee; but with great mercies will I gather thee. In a little wrath I
hid my face from thee for a moment; but with everlasting kindness will I have
mercy on thee, saith the Lord thy Redeemer” (Isaiah 54:7-8).
To
be redeemed is to be bought back; Jehovah bought His people, and all peoples,
back from death and sin through the power of His infinite Atonement when He
condescended to earth. Christ has redeemed us all, and it is through the power
of this spiritual redemption that we can not only go to the physical locale of
Zion, but we can become “of one heart and one mind”. Through the power of His
Atonement, we can go forth as emissaries of Ephraim and help gather in the rest
of the House of Israel, as well as the Gentiles with whom they’ve mixed.
Through the power of His Atonement our family, spiritual and physical, can be
brought back to the meeting-place of redeemed Zion, and be given a chance to
become ONE with our Savior Jesus Christ, and our Heavenly Parents. Through the
power of His Atonement, Zion is redeemed, Israel is gathered, and we as
individuals and a collective are brought to become more like He who redeemed
and redeems us: Jesus Christ, the Savior of all
mankind.
Monday, March 11, 2013
3 Nephi 18:34...Otherwise Entitled: Coming Closer
I am the kind of guy who enjoys to ramble (You'll hopefully notice that the word 'ramble' is cleverly hidden in the web address of this here blog). Get me started on a subject I love to talk about, and I'll ramble for hours. A prime example of that: Teasing. I'm an expert teaser; just ask my younger sisters. I am able to easily find people's 'pressure points' and 'buttons'...and I have, over the years, developed the dark art of being able to exploit those pressure points and push those buttons. I am pretty adept at teasing, and sometimes it can cause quite the trouble.
Take, for instance, a particular time at home when I was with my family. We were playing a board game, and I began teasing one of my sisters. As a result of my doing this, she didn't speak to me for some time...which is never a good thing.
This willingness to cause contention and dissension amongst my siblings is a major fault of mine, and although I have certainly worked hard at and become better about not teasing my sisters every chance I get, I still have a VERY long way to go.
In conjunction with that, I'd like to submit 3 Nephi 18:34, a scripture we read that occurs during the Lord Jesus Christ's ministry among a tribe of peoples here on the American continent:
"And I give you these commandments because of the disputations which have been among you. And blessed are ye if ye have no disputations among you."
The longer I think about this scripture, the more and more I realize that I have SO MUCH WORK to do in this particular area. Like I've said before, I have a slight - and by slight, I mean a little-bit-more-than-slight - tendency to tease...it's a weakness of mine.
And yet, as I say that, I am reminded of another scripture that is oft-quoted in LDS culture:
"And if men come unto me I will show unto them their weakness. I [the Lord] give unto men weakness that they may be humble; and my grace is sufficient for all men that humble themselves before me; for if they humble themselves before me, and have faith in me, then will I make weak things become strong unto them" (Ether 12:27).
We are all mortals. We're all imperfect. We all make mistakes. We all have weakness. One of my many weakness is teasing my younger sisters.
And yet, for a weakness such as that, God extends His hand towards me, and beckons me to recognize my own faults and come unto Him.
Our human tendencies, our faults and frailties, all cause 'disputations' among us. Anger and hatred, wars and violence, slurs and slandering, mocking and backbiting - all of these ruin the spirit of brotherhood that should dwell among us. All of these bar us from coming closer to the Spirit of God that strives to speak to us every second of every day.
I personally challenge myself to give up my excessive teasing habits, and I challenge each and every one of you to find that weakness that seems to give you and those around you grief, and then DO something about it. Turn it into something good and useful, or abandon it completely; whatever is necessary to make that change in your life, I wholeheartedly plead with you to do it.
The great thing about this process: It's never-ending. At first that might sound a little disheartening and gloomy - "Sam, you're saying that we have so much weakness that we'll never be free of it!"
In essence, I am saying that, to a certain degree. In mortality we will constantly be plagued by weakness, every one of us. It is the natural condition of mankind. And yet, we still have a Savior who is constantly beside us as well; the very God of the universe beckons us to release whatever weakness we may be struggling with at that time into His care. He invites us to carry His load, and to become like Him.
For all the weaknesses we have, we should now realize that they offer opportunities to come even closer to our Savior! We must approach Him and plead with Him to take them! Our weaknesses force us to bring ourselves to the mercy seat of the Lord! They give us the chances we need to be humble and come within the presence of the Creator of worlds without end!
Let us all release our weaknesses. Let us all fight against their effects and become better. Let us all bring an end to the disputations amongst ourselves, and let us all come unto Him. It will take time and effort, but we are given an endless supply of chances to do so. We may fall, we may 'slip on the sidewalks', to quote a previous post, but we always have the opportunity to pick ourselves back up and, through the grace and mercy of our Savior, remove those weaknesses in our personal and public lives. :)
May God be with you till we meet again, my friends.
Sam
Take, for instance, a particular time at home when I was with my family. We were playing a board game, and I began teasing one of my sisters. As a result of my doing this, she didn't speak to me for some time...which is never a good thing.
This willingness to cause contention and dissension amongst my siblings is a major fault of mine, and although I have certainly worked hard at and become better about not teasing my sisters every chance I get, I still have a VERY long way to go.
In conjunction with that, I'd like to submit 3 Nephi 18:34, a scripture we read that occurs during the Lord Jesus Christ's ministry among a tribe of peoples here on the American continent:
"And I give you these commandments because of the disputations which have been among you. And blessed are ye if ye have no disputations among you."
The longer I think about this scripture, the more and more I realize that I have SO MUCH WORK to do in this particular area. Like I've said before, I have a slight - and by slight, I mean a little-bit-more-than-slight - tendency to tease...it's a weakness of mine.
And yet, as I say that, I am reminded of another scripture that is oft-quoted in LDS culture:
"And if men come unto me I will show unto them their weakness. I [the Lord] give unto men weakness that they may be humble; and my grace is sufficient for all men that humble themselves before me; for if they humble themselves before me, and have faith in me, then will I make weak things become strong unto them" (Ether 12:27).
We are all mortals. We're all imperfect. We all make mistakes. We all have weakness. One of my many weakness is teasing my younger sisters.
And yet, for a weakness such as that, God extends His hand towards me, and beckons me to recognize my own faults and come unto Him.
Our human tendencies, our faults and frailties, all cause 'disputations' among us. Anger and hatred, wars and violence, slurs and slandering, mocking and backbiting - all of these ruin the spirit of brotherhood that should dwell among us. All of these bar us from coming closer to the Spirit of God that strives to speak to us every second of every day.
I personally challenge myself to give up my excessive teasing habits, and I challenge each and every one of you to find that weakness that seems to give you and those around you grief, and then DO something about it. Turn it into something good and useful, or abandon it completely; whatever is necessary to make that change in your life, I wholeheartedly plead with you to do it.
The great thing about this process: It's never-ending. At first that might sound a little disheartening and gloomy - "Sam, you're saying that we have so much weakness that we'll never be free of it!"
In essence, I am saying that, to a certain degree. In mortality we will constantly be plagued by weakness, every one of us. It is the natural condition of mankind. And yet, we still have a Savior who is constantly beside us as well; the very God of the universe beckons us to release whatever weakness we may be struggling with at that time into His care. He invites us to carry His load, and to become like Him.
For all the weaknesses we have, we should now realize that they offer opportunities to come even closer to our Savior! We must approach Him and plead with Him to take them! Our weaknesses force us to bring ourselves to the mercy seat of the Lord! They give us the chances we need to be humble and come within the presence of the Creator of worlds without end!
Let us all release our weaknesses. Let us all fight against their effects and become better. Let us all bring an end to the disputations amongst ourselves, and let us all come unto Him. It will take time and effort, but we are given an endless supply of chances to do so. We may fall, we may 'slip on the sidewalks', to quote a previous post, but we always have the opportunity to pick ourselves back up and, through the grace and mercy of our Savior, remove those weaknesses in our personal and public lives. :)
May God be with you till we meet again, my friends.
Sam
Monday, March 4, 2013
3 Nephi 11:14...Otherwise Entitled: ARISE
I am the kind of guy who enjoys to ramble (You'll hopefully notice that the word 'ramble' is cleverly hidden in the web address of this here blog). Get me started on a subject I love to talk about, and I'll ramble for hours. A prime example of that: Alarm clocks. They're very useful, but sometimes they can be messengers of doom. Do you know what I mean? Maybe I didn't explain that very well; let me try again :)
Alarm clocks are meant to wake us up from slumber and compel us forward to embrace and live out a new day. When we're used to their call, alarm clocks are a part of our daily agenda, and they have the highest priority in making sure we get up on time. When we're not used to their beeping/buzzing, they can become rather annoying.
I believe that God works in the 'alarm clock' business, but not the kind that I've been speaking of. He is more of a spiritual alarm clock maker, and has provided so many wonderful things - tender mercies, blessings, trials, challenges, friends, family, and His holy scriptures - to wake us up from the spiritual slumbers of our day. I would like to share with you a principle that has acted as a spiritual alarm clock for me, and I hope that you too will be able to put its teachings into good use.
In 3 Nephi 11:14, we read:
"Arise, and come forth unto me, that ye may thrust your hands into my side, and also that ye may feel the prints of the nails in my hands and in my feet, that ye may know that I am the God of Israel, and the God of the whole earth, and have been slain for the sins of the world."
For those unfamiliar with the context of this scripture, I shall briefly summarize: The Savior of the world, even Jesus Christ, visited the Americas a little under a year following the Crucifixion and His forty days with the apostles. As He stood in the midst of the people, He spoke the above words.
Notice that He did not say: "Arise, and come forth unto Me...except for you - you look pretty weird, you stay away." Nor did He say: "Arise, and come forth unto Me...well, by you I mean only that section over there; the rest of y'all can just watch and learn."
He did not provide any barriers that kept the people from approaching His glorified and celestial body; He invited all to come unto Him. And we find out that they did in the verse immediately after this:
"And it came to pass that the multitude went forth, and thrust their hands into his side, and did feel the prints of the nails in his hands and in his feet; and this they did do, going forth one by one until they had all gone forth..." (3 Nephi 11:15).
Christ's love for these people was unconditional and all-encompassing; He loved them, despite their past sins and wrongs; despite their frailties and weaknesses; despite their physical, emotional, mental, psychological, and spiritual irregularities and faults. He barred none from coming unto Him and feeling the 'prints of the nails in [His] hands and in [His] feet'.
He loved them all.
And here is the alarm clock that I was discussing earlier, the alarm clock that rings with truth and power: If we are meant to follow this divine example, and if said Divinity loved all and exempted none from that love, then what are we commanded to do?
Are we not commanded to love?
I believe we are. There are various scriptures that support this truth. I will quote just a few before I continue my own commentary:
"Remember the worth of souls is great in the sight of God;
For, behold, the Lord your Redeemer suffered death in the flesh; wherefore he suffered the pain of all men, that all men might repent and come unto him" (D&C 18:10-11; emphasis added).
"Ye have heard that it hath been said, Thou shalt love thy neighbour, and hate thine enemy.
"But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray fro them which despitefully use you, and persecute you...
"For if ye love them which love you, what reward have ye? do not even the publicans the same?" (KJV Matthew 5:43-44, 46).
"And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of man be lifted up:
"That whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have eternal life.
"For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life" (KJV John 3:14-16).
I speak to all now: Be you of the LDS (Mormon) faith, or of the Baptist or Methodist or Lutheran or Catholic persuasion, or if you aren't Christian, but Jew or Muslim or Hindu. Whether or not you believe in the light of the Gospel of Jesus Christ, His charge to LOVE still stands; it is a charge that is surely held within every religion that is of good report and praiseworthy in this world.
To LOVE, my friends! This capability seems so far away, particularly in the dark and grim and cruel world that we now live in...but it is inherently within each and every one of us. And think of what would happen if each of us strengthened our resolve and fortified our hearts in such a way that we would take this challenge from Christ's holy words and go forth and LOVE all of God's children! This world would be changed for good.
My younger brother is no longer in this mortal state; when he passed from this existence he likely felt lost and without this love of which I speak. He died, thinking that there was not a person on this earth that truly loved him.
How many more must die, my friends? How many more beautiful, wonderful, amazing, and truly loved children of God must pass from this weary world before we will finally realize and begin living the divine charges laid before us? How many more must leave us before we will recognize our need not only to feel loved, but TO LOVE?
No more, my beloved friends, no more.
Let US be the ones who make the stand against all of the hate and violence and sorrow that this world has, and let US be the ones who reveal all of the goodness and glory that this world is truly made of.
My brother was truly loved; ask any of his friends and especially ask any of us, his family, and we would all wholeheartedly testify of this truth. But he was unable to see it. I lay part of this sad fact upon my own shoulders; if I could but turn the pages of time backwards I would, and I would hold my brother tightly and tell him how much I love him.
But I cannot.
Or perhaps I can, but not in that same sort of way.
And perhaps you can as well.
There are people out there who need the light of love, my dear friends. There are people out there who are hurting and tired and sad and gloomy. There are people out there who build up walls around their aching hearts. There are people out there who need to feel loved.
And we, with the knowledge we have and the potential of love that blossoms in our breasts, are the ones who need to go forth and bring them that light.
As a Christian, I know that the charge to love is prevalent throughout all sects and faiths who profess the title of Christianity. From what I have studied and learned about the faiths of Islam and Judaism, Hindu and Buddha, this same charge to love exists within their belief systems as well. With that said, I find it no coincidence that one of the binding threads that is the same in all religious views throughout this world is one to LOVE.
We know what we must do; but sometimes it is not that easy to love.
I distinctly remember a time when I was given a calling in Church that required me to serve and lead others. I was nervous to accept it, because I could feel my own selfish tendings and inclinations bubbling within me, threatening to obscure the desires of others in favor of my own vain ambitions.
That night I knelt down and prayed fervently to my Heavenly Father for the gift of CHARITY - that pure love of Christ that He showed when He healed the lepers and ate with publicans - the ability to love others without taking thought for self. I must admit, that love for others did not come that night, nor the next day, nor did it come that week. It took time, but come it did, and I was able to serve others and care about others with a passion that I never knew I could possess.
I am not singular in receiving this gift; you too may possess it, and I hope that you will be willing to pray for it so that we all may be able to go forth and LOVE. There is too much darkness and too little time left in this world, my friends.
Let us ARISE and LOVE; let us see to it that another soul does not perish from this earth! Let us break the bars of hatred that sunder nations, kindreds, tongues, and peoples! Let us forge anew the rings of brotherhood and fellowship! Let us recognize that those who sit beside us, walk around us, and who merge before us on the freeway are all children of God! Let us realize this truth, and let us act! Do not let today pass without expressing love for another, without serving someone else, without sharing the love that exists in your hearts with another soul.
This spiritual alarm clock has greatly benefited my life, and though I am not perfect in being a friend to others at all times, I strive to do my best to be such a light to those around me. May I reiterate: I am not the perfect example of loving others! Christ is, though, and we have access to His precious words in our scriptures, ancient and modern. His call to 'Arise' is clear, and His example of love is evident.
Arise, my friends, and LOVE.
Let us share the light we have, and let us change the world together - let us herald in a new day of peace and friendship. Let us love.
May God be with you till we meet again, my beloved friends.
Sam
Alarm clocks are meant to wake us up from slumber and compel us forward to embrace and live out a new day. When we're used to their call, alarm clocks are a part of our daily agenda, and they have the highest priority in making sure we get up on time. When we're not used to their beeping/buzzing, they can become rather annoying.
I believe that God works in the 'alarm clock' business, but not the kind that I've been speaking of. He is more of a spiritual alarm clock maker, and has provided so many wonderful things - tender mercies, blessings, trials, challenges, friends, family, and His holy scriptures - to wake us up from the spiritual slumbers of our day. I would like to share with you a principle that has acted as a spiritual alarm clock for me, and I hope that you too will be able to put its teachings into good use.
In 3 Nephi 11:14, we read:
"Arise, and come forth unto me, that ye may thrust your hands into my side, and also that ye may feel the prints of the nails in my hands and in my feet, that ye may know that I am the God of Israel, and the God of the whole earth, and have been slain for the sins of the world."
For those unfamiliar with the context of this scripture, I shall briefly summarize: The Savior of the world, even Jesus Christ, visited the Americas a little under a year following the Crucifixion and His forty days with the apostles. As He stood in the midst of the people, He spoke the above words.
Notice that He did not say: "Arise, and come forth unto Me...except for you - you look pretty weird, you stay away." Nor did He say: "Arise, and come forth unto Me...well, by you I mean only that section over there; the rest of y'all can just watch and learn."
He did not provide any barriers that kept the people from approaching His glorified and celestial body; He invited all to come unto Him. And we find out that they did in the verse immediately after this:
"And it came to pass that the multitude went forth, and thrust their hands into his side, and did feel the prints of the nails in his hands and in his feet; and this they did do, going forth one by one until they had all gone forth..." (3 Nephi 11:15).
Christ's love for these people was unconditional and all-encompassing; He loved them, despite their past sins and wrongs; despite their frailties and weaknesses; despite their physical, emotional, mental, psychological, and spiritual irregularities and faults. He barred none from coming unto Him and feeling the 'prints of the nails in [His] hands and in [His] feet'.
He loved them all.
And here is the alarm clock that I was discussing earlier, the alarm clock that rings with truth and power: If we are meant to follow this divine example, and if said Divinity loved all and exempted none from that love, then what are we commanded to do?
Are we not commanded to love?
I believe we are. There are various scriptures that support this truth. I will quote just a few before I continue my own commentary:
"Remember the worth of souls is great in the sight of God;
For, behold, the Lord your Redeemer suffered death in the flesh; wherefore he suffered the pain of all men, that all men might repent and come unto him" (D&C 18:10-11; emphasis added).
"Ye have heard that it hath been said, Thou shalt love thy neighbour, and hate thine enemy.
"But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray fro them which despitefully use you, and persecute you...
"For if ye love them which love you, what reward have ye? do not even the publicans the same?" (KJV Matthew 5:43-44, 46).
"And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of man be lifted up:
"That whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have eternal life.
"For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life" (KJV John 3:14-16).
I speak to all now: Be you of the LDS (Mormon) faith, or of the Baptist or Methodist or Lutheran or Catholic persuasion, or if you aren't Christian, but Jew or Muslim or Hindu. Whether or not you believe in the light of the Gospel of Jesus Christ, His charge to LOVE still stands; it is a charge that is surely held within every religion that is of good report and praiseworthy in this world.
To LOVE, my friends! This capability seems so far away, particularly in the dark and grim and cruel world that we now live in...but it is inherently within each and every one of us. And think of what would happen if each of us strengthened our resolve and fortified our hearts in such a way that we would take this challenge from Christ's holy words and go forth and LOVE all of God's children! This world would be changed for good.
My younger brother is no longer in this mortal state; when he passed from this existence he likely felt lost and without this love of which I speak. He died, thinking that there was not a person on this earth that truly loved him.
How many more must die, my friends? How many more beautiful, wonderful, amazing, and truly loved children of God must pass from this weary world before we will finally realize and begin living the divine charges laid before us? How many more must leave us before we will recognize our need not only to feel loved, but TO LOVE?
No more, my beloved friends, no more.
Let US be the ones who make the stand against all of the hate and violence and sorrow that this world has, and let US be the ones who reveal all of the goodness and glory that this world is truly made of.
My brother was truly loved; ask any of his friends and especially ask any of us, his family, and we would all wholeheartedly testify of this truth. But he was unable to see it. I lay part of this sad fact upon my own shoulders; if I could but turn the pages of time backwards I would, and I would hold my brother tightly and tell him how much I love him.
But I cannot.
Or perhaps I can, but not in that same sort of way.
And perhaps you can as well.
There are people out there who need the light of love, my dear friends. There are people out there who are hurting and tired and sad and gloomy. There are people out there who build up walls around their aching hearts. There are people out there who need to feel loved.
And we, with the knowledge we have and the potential of love that blossoms in our breasts, are the ones who need to go forth and bring them that light.
As a Christian, I know that the charge to love is prevalent throughout all sects and faiths who profess the title of Christianity. From what I have studied and learned about the faiths of Islam and Judaism, Hindu and Buddha, this same charge to love exists within their belief systems as well. With that said, I find it no coincidence that one of the binding threads that is the same in all religious views throughout this world is one to LOVE.
We know what we must do; but sometimes it is not that easy to love.
I distinctly remember a time when I was given a calling in Church that required me to serve and lead others. I was nervous to accept it, because I could feel my own selfish tendings and inclinations bubbling within me, threatening to obscure the desires of others in favor of my own vain ambitions.
That night I knelt down and prayed fervently to my Heavenly Father for the gift of CHARITY - that pure love of Christ that He showed when He healed the lepers and ate with publicans - the ability to love others without taking thought for self. I must admit, that love for others did not come that night, nor the next day, nor did it come that week. It took time, but come it did, and I was able to serve others and care about others with a passion that I never knew I could possess.
I am not singular in receiving this gift; you too may possess it, and I hope that you will be willing to pray for it so that we all may be able to go forth and LOVE. There is too much darkness and too little time left in this world, my friends.
Let us ARISE and LOVE; let us see to it that another soul does not perish from this earth! Let us break the bars of hatred that sunder nations, kindreds, tongues, and peoples! Let us forge anew the rings of brotherhood and fellowship! Let us recognize that those who sit beside us, walk around us, and who merge before us on the freeway are all children of God! Let us realize this truth, and let us act! Do not let today pass without expressing love for another, without serving someone else, without sharing the love that exists in your hearts with another soul.
This spiritual alarm clock has greatly benefited my life, and though I am not perfect in being a friend to others at all times, I strive to do my best to be such a light to those around me. May I reiterate: I am not the perfect example of loving others! Christ is, though, and we have access to His precious words in our scriptures, ancient and modern. His call to 'Arise' is clear, and His example of love is evident.
Arise, my friends, and LOVE.
Let us share the light we have, and let us change the world together - let us herald in a new day of peace and friendship. Let us love.
May God be with you till we meet again, my beloved friends.
Sam
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)