His Son not sparing

 

I’ve been more anxious for his welfare than I thought I’d be. Despite my general even keel, I found myself wondering, worrying about, and praying for Isaac’s happiness multiple times each day as we waited for the report of his first week in Ghana. When it came it was literally like Christmas. Deana ran excitedly upstairs and read his message to us (She’s generally not known to move so quickly in the mornings:)) Joy and extreme gratitude filled our home and hearts. He’s doing so well! Our prayers had been answered!

On the drive to work I chose to give thanks. After a heartfelt prayer I sang aloud a favorite hymn: “How great Thou art.” The third verse caught me by surprise. I’d sung it many times before, but this time as I sang: “And when I think that God, His Son not sparing, I scarce can take it in,” I suddenly couldn’t. The truth that my son was doing so well and had been blessed so greatly this first time so far away from home was precisely because His Son wasn’t or didn’t - hit me like a ton of bricks. With His unlimited power, He didn’t spare His own Beloved Son out of love for mine. 

And though I couldn’t audibly for a few seconds, my soul sang.

Victory’s message: “repent!”

  In Alma 4 the Nephites had just won a major victory - the Lord had preserved them in battles with the Amlicites and then the numberless host of the Lamanites the Amlicites had joined with. The Nephite armies had lost only half as many casualties as the others - or even less, yet every Nephite soul had cause to mourn. Each one had suffered devastating personal losses. Even in a condition where they could clearly recognize God’s hand in blessing and delivering them they had also felt loss and heard His call to repentance. Perhaps they believed that God would have delivered them even more miraculously had they been worthy of a greater blessing. Perhaps some of their loved ones that had perished would have been spared if they as a people had repented before. 

These battles could certainly be seen as circumstances beyond their control also - the results of the choices of others. They still hear a personal call in them though. These Nephite survivors awaken to repentance, missionary work, and strengthening the church. This is a good pattern. It is always a good check to make when in adversity to see if you haven’t brought it upon yourself in some way or to some degree - even when spared from a much worse fate.

What about this virus we’ve been wrestling with for a while now? It has come upon largely us as a circumstance beyond our control. It has given many, if not most, of us personal cause to mourn. We have also fasted and prayed for deliverance. God’s prophet, President Nelson, has called the vaccine “an answer to prayer,” and “a literal godsend.” It has dramatically curtailed the spread and effects of Covid 19. Though this pandemic is not yet over, I feel greatly blessed and spared through it all (that’s not to say those who have suffered more or more personally than I have through this pandemic were any less worthy). Could it have been more dramatically stayed had we been worthy of a greater blessing? 

The real question is: do I hear God’s voice in the midst of it all calling me to repentance? General Conference is a good place to look for that personal call. May we feel both grateful and determined to repent that we might qualify for the greatest blessings He has to give us.

Inquire after his name

 The ends of the earth will - Joseph is told by the Lord (D&C 122:1) - It's a good invitation too. Moroni said something similar much earlier - that his name should be had for good and evil in all the earth (JSH 1:33). He writes his history, in fact, "to disabuse the public mind and put all inquirers after truth in possession of the facts" (JSH 1:1). 

Because people are asking, I want to help answer. Ultimately the answer must come from the Lord himself, but there are some things I know about the prophet that I think everyone should know too.

Joseph Smith is a man of God. He is constantly willing to be publicly shaped by the hand of the Lord. There is no one more frequently rebuked and commanded to repent in the Doctrine and Covenants than he is. I'm not sure how I would feel about the scriptural record containing such an account of my stumblings. There is beauty and power in Joseph's response however. He was determined to act on the voice of the Lord. From his years long tutoring before obtaining the record, to the lessons he learned from his loss of the 116 pages of manuscript, to the revelation on plural marriage - he was all in. He said following the second experience - "I've made this my rule: when the Lord commands - do it!"

Joseph was willing to ask with the real intent to act on what he received from God. I am blessed every day by his willingness to do so! As clay in the Master's hand, Joseph became the instrument through which Jesus Christ restored His Church to the earth - the vessel through which the keys given to Peter - to bind and loose on earth and in heaven (Matthew 16:19) - were restored to earth. This authority offers all mankind the opportunity to make and keep sacred covenants with Him - to be lifted by His promises to forgiveness and eternal families - heights we could never obtain on our own merits. 

As millions come to know brother Joseph again - and by the power of the Holy Ghost know he was God's prophet in these latter days - I want to be counted among the voices for the prophet Joseph Smith. Just a few verses later in section 122, Joseph is told "thy God shall stand by thee forever and ever." -- sounds like exactly where I want to be found standing too. Come join me in sharing what you know by the power of the Spirit to be true of God's prophet Joseph Smith.       

 

The Valley of Gratitude

 After escaping from King Noah and settling the land of Helam, Alma’s people learn about and rejoice in a new style of King-less government. Each man will be his own responsible agent before God. 

Immediately thereafter, ironically, they find themselves again in bondage under a wicked king. This is the test - God wants to know if their loyalty to Him is situational. 

Even when communing with God bears capital consequences, however, they persist cheerfully in the way they can. They prove that there is no way anyone can stand between God and His children if they are determined.

The day of their deliverance comes and these Nephites escape to freedom. Their first stop is in a valley where EVERYONE gives thanks. This has got to be such and amazing experience! This is no doubt Holy ground to these faithful and grateful band of determined disciples.

Then God then warns them to flee further. He tells them that their pursuers will not proceed beyond this special Valley. Sanctified by their praise, this land is the end of the road for their oppressors. Is this not the fruit of their grateful praise? Special now for two reasons, The Valley of their praise becomes a wall to their oppressors.

The scriptures hold divine patterns. What about the implications of this story for me? Are those influences that would bind or afflict me also stopped in their tracks as I praise and gratefully glorify God? Am I taking full advantage of, and teaching my children about, the incredible power of gratitude to God? Here I raise my Ebenezer.

"Pay closer attention"

"He's nervous." The cadence of his speech and the look on his face gave him away. I recognized the signs because I do some of those same things. My wonderful nephew, Tim, had recently returned from the mission field. As he spoke in church he related the story of Elder Rasband assisting President Eyring in helping to assign missionaries ("The Divine Call of a Missionary," April 2010). Elder Rasband, surprised he was asked his thoughts about where a missionary should be assigned was told, "Pay closer attention and you too can know." Tim repeated that line a few times in his talk and it occurred to me that I might miss important and meaningful opportunities if I didn't "pay closer attention." 

On the lookout, I returned from his meeting to my own. I love our Stake President - he is such a loving and humble man. He is a true disciple of the Savior. We had the privilege of him joining us in our meeting and sharing a quick thought at the closing of our meeting. He likened the messages of the recent General Conference to the rays of the sun breaking through storm clouds to warm us and invited us to study them again. Then he sat down and we commenced to sing the closing Hymn - "Our Savior's love shines like the sun with perfect light, as from above it breaks through clouds of strife..." After the meeting I asked him if he had known what the closing hymn would be. He told me he had not. As we rejoiced together in that second witness together he said something like, "I hope they got it." Me too.

I know that the Lord speaks through modern prophets to his children in General Conference. Their messages are warming evidence of His great love and they have power to pierce the darkness and light the way. I am grateful for the council to study them again and again, and for the council to pay closer attention so that I could recognize the signature of heaven on the Lord's message to my ward through His chosen servant this last Sunday.       

Hollow justifications

 I noticed two attempts by Noah's priests: First in their question about the Isaiah passage, and second in their answer that they teach the law of Moses. In each case, they have missed seeing the Savior. Isaiahs words (52:7-8) are a Messianic prophecy testifying of the mission of Jesus when he will walk the earth. Instead of an earnest question, Noah's priests seem to be using it to try to justify not teaching - or practicing - repentance, but instead only bringing "good tidings." Ironically, angels declaring the Messiah's  birth in fulfillment of Isaiah's prophecy will use those same words - "good tidings" in their triumphant message of His birth. 

Abinadi asks "Are you priests, and pretend to teach this people, and to understand the spirit of prophesying...?" As a teacher, I asked "Do I understand the spirit of prophesying?" Revelation 19:10 came to mind: "the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy." 

Among the serious wrongs Noah's priests are guilty of is missing the mark -- not seeing or teaching the Savior, Jesus Christ, as the focus of all gospel truth. Truly there is no other way nor means and all things testify of Christ - including the law of Moses. President Packer taught regarding the doctrine of Christ, "This is the very root of Christian doctrine. You may know much about the gospel as it branches out from there, but if you only know the branches and those branches do not touch that root, if they have been cut from that truth, there will be no life or substance nor redemption in them" ("The Mediator," Ensign, May 1977, 56). A gospel teacher's central and solitary purpose is to help others see and come to Him. 

Different focus, different view

Abinadi was different. Popular opinion felt confident in the strength of the Nephite armies and fortifications. He prophesied of impending destruction unless they would repent and turn to God. He wasn't just prescribing changes in behavior though, but also a change in focus. Focus on present safeties and victories could distract them from commitment to their God - something their fathers had taught would bring prosperity and protection. 

Speaking of joy, President Nelson taught (and it was quoted over and over in the recent conference) that it has more to do with the focus of our lives than the circumstances. Then and now, focus on the Savior instead of the encouraging or discouraging circumstances around us makes an important difference. 

A marathon global pandemic, political rancor, and the current social divisiveness cannot be ignored, nor should they be. Might they be best addressed, though, in the context of a clearer more intentional focus on our Savior Jesus Christ? President Nelson taught: "There has never been a time in the history of the world when a knowledge of our Savior is more personally vital and relevant to every human soul. Imagine how quickly the devastating conflicts throughout the world--and those in our individual lives--would be resolved if we all chose to follow Jesus Christ and heed His teachings."("Pure Truth, Pure Doctrine, and Pure Revelation," General Conference, October 3, 2021)  

How do you make sure headlines and hot topics receive the attention they deserve, but don't divert your focus from the Savior? How do you see His hand and will in and through present circumstances? Repentance is turning or returning to the Savior. How can we, so that we may enjoy the prosperity and protection He offers us?