Christ said to his disciples:
"If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow me. For whosoever will save his life shall lose it: but whosoever will lose his life for my sake, the same shall save it." (Luke 9:23-24)
It is interesting that it says "daily." Is Christ trying to say to follow Him daily?
Christ is always exhorting us to follow Him. Part of our journey in life is to become like Him. He shows us how. His command to "take up his cross" has some intriguing imagery. Christ carried His own cross, bearing his own weight and the weight of the sins of the world. Like Him, we need to carry our own cross. We each have our own cross, unique from that of Christ. Our cross is to keep the commandments, serve one another, take care of our families, follow the prophet, etc.
Christ had a certain distance to walk while carrying the cross. We also have a certain distance to carry our own cross. We need to follow Christ and walk every day in the right direction. It does no good to stand in one place, not progressing. Although it requires work, it is necessary to progress "daily."
Christ had help carrying his cross. He would walk fast enough so another man was compelled to carry it for him. We can also have help carrying our burdens. Again, this help comes through Christ. Because those who follow Him have a light burden, while his yoke is heavy.
Christ also lived his entire "daily" life for others and not for himself. He even died for others - His Father and for us. He warns us that if we save our own lives we will lose them, but if we lose our lives for His sake (serving Him and others) then we will save them. I imagine that the kind of life we lose after finding it would be a different kind of life than the one we would find if we lost it. The latter would be Eternal Life.
Tuesday, December 16, 2008
Sunday, December 7, 2008
Getting to know Jesus Christ
Today we had a nice lesson in Relief Society about our Savior. We talked a little about how he is our foundation, our friend, the Savior and the one who makes the Atonement valid. We talked about how we can come closer to Him (scripture study, prayer, covenants, using the Atonement). I had a lot of things that I could have said but I found it more beneficial to listen to others. I learned a few things like the Sacrament is really the only ordinance that we get to enjoy together as a family. I also left church today with a real desire to study the Savior in my personal study so that I can get to know Him better. The index has pages about the Savior!! In the section "Jesus Christ, Atonement through," I found these verses:
"Listen to him who is the advocate with the Father, who is pleading your cause before him - Saying: Father, behold the sufferings and death of him who did no sin, in whom thou wast well pleased; behold the blood of thy Son which was shed, the blood of him whom thou gavest that thyself might be glorified; Wherefore, Father, spare these my brethren that believe on my name, that they may come unto me and have everlasting life." (D&C 45:3-5)
I've obviously read this before because it was marked but it seemed like it was the first time I've read it. The image that came to my head was that God was a judge on a high wooden platform with a mallet, and Jesus was standing up for me and pleading my case while I stood in the background only a step in front of several people watching the judgment. The difference between this scene and a typical court case was the love that was radiating from God and Jesus for each other and for me. Jesus Christ was pleading with the Father with all his heart, as if I was his most important client. He looked back at me with hope and yearning in his eyes. The yearning was for me to trust in Him completely or His case wouldn't work. And at the same time Heavenly Father, of course, was listening to the words of Jesus, even though he already knew what he would say. Only this time it was about me. Heavenly Father looked at his Son with love and watery eyes because he knew that it was true that his Only Begotten Son had suffered a grief beyond any mortal imagination. And He had done this for me. The problem was that I had no string to God. I had a string in my hand and Jesus held the other end. It held it so well and so tight that it was as if it was glued to his hand. Jesus also had another string, but it was a brilliant and beautiful string. His Father held the other end of that string. Neither of them had to hold on to that string very tightly. It seemed to be a natural channel between the two of them. It was a perfect connection. In fact it seemed that if one of them walked out of the room that brilliant string would just stretch and grow around the doorway and continue to keep the channel between them as strong as if they were in the same room. Neither would have to give any more slack like you must do with the vacuum cleaner cord if you step too far away from the outlet. I held one more string. It was frayed and dirty from neglect and being dropped many times. God held the other end of that string. However, those two ends were no longer connected. Somewhere along the way the middle of this string was severed. It looked like it was burned in several places, actually, and was almost severed in a few different spots. But there was one burn that was especially severe, leaving the ends uneven, charcoaled and ashy. I remembered where those burns came from. Even more than painful - it was sorrow to remember. While Jesus had this seemingly perfect connection to God, my string was not even long enough to reach half way across the room. While Jesus was guiltless and at one with God, I came severely short to being worthy to be in his presence. And while I was so obviously distanced from Heavenly Father, Jesus was pleading for me. His love almost propelled me forward. And hearing his plea for me turned my regeretful tears into tears of hope. Soon not only I was crying, but Jesus and God as well. The love in the room was thick and almost tangible. If it were not for Jesus Christ, my Savior, I would have had no hope nor right to come before God my Heavenly Father. I looked behind me and saw that there were hundreds of thousands awaiting their judgment. Each of them held two strings in their hands. One string was also held by the Savior, but the other was dirty and frayed, burned and severed.
"Listen to him who is the advocate with the Father, who is pleading your cause before him - Saying: Father, behold the sufferings and death of him who did no sin, in whom thou wast well pleased; behold the blood of thy Son which was shed, the blood of him whom thou gavest that thyself might be glorified; Wherefore, Father, spare these my brethren that believe on my name, that they may come unto me and have everlasting life." (D&C 45:3-5)
I've obviously read this before because it was marked but it seemed like it was the first time I've read it. The image that came to my head was that God was a judge on a high wooden platform with a mallet, and Jesus was standing up for me and pleading my case while I stood in the background only a step in front of several people watching the judgment. The difference between this scene and a typical court case was the love that was radiating from God and Jesus for each other and for me. Jesus Christ was pleading with the Father with all his heart, as if I was his most important client. He looked back at me with hope and yearning in his eyes. The yearning was for me to trust in Him completely or His case wouldn't work. And at the same time Heavenly Father, of course, was listening to the words of Jesus, even though he already knew what he would say. Only this time it was about me. Heavenly Father looked at his Son with love and watery eyes because he knew that it was true that his Only Begotten Son had suffered a grief beyond any mortal imagination. And He had done this for me. The problem was that I had no string to God. I had a string in my hand and Jesus held the other end. It held it so well and so tight that it was as if it was glued to his hand. Jesus also had another string, but it was a brilliant and beautiful string. His Father held the other end of that string. Neither of them had to hold on to that string very tightly. It seemed to be a natural channel between the two of them. It was a perfect connection. In fact it seemed that if one of them walked out of the room that brilliant string would just stretch and grow around the doorway and continue to keep the channel between them as strong as if they were in the same room. Neither would have to give any more slack like you must do with the vacuum cleaner cord if you step too far away from the outlet. I held one more string. It was frayed and dirty from neglect and being dropped many times. God held the other end of that string. However, those two ends were no longer connected. Somewhere along the way the middle of this string was severed. It looked like it was burned in several places, actually, and was almost severed in a few different spots. But there was one burn that was especially severe, leaving the ends uneven, charcoaled and ashy. I remembered where those burns came from. Even more than painful - it was sorrow to remember. While Jesus had this seemingly perfect connection to God, my string was not even long enough to reach half way across the room. While Jesus was guiltless and at one with God, I came severely short to being worthy to be in his presence. And while I was so obviously distanced from Heavenly Father, Jesus was pleading for me. His love almost propelled me forward. And hearing his plea for me turned my regeretful tears into tears of hope. Soon not only I was crying, but Jesus and God as well. The love in the room was thick and almost tangible. If it were not for Jesus Christ, my Savior, I would have had no hope nor right to come before God my Heavenly Father. I looked behind me and saw that there were hundreds of thousands awaiting their judgment. Each of them held two strings in their hands. One string was also held by the Savior, but the other was dirty and frayed, burned and severed.
Friday, December 5, 2008
Pleasing God
For Christmas we like to think of things that will make others happy. For everything that we have that makes us happy we should be thankful to God. What can we give God that makes Him happy? I've wondered about this. What could we possibly give to God? I love the idea that you can give your own will to him. It is the only thing that He won't take away from you. So give that to Him, and you have really given Him something.
I didn't know that "please/pleased/pleasing" was a topic in the Book of Mormon index until I stumbled across it. Here are some interesting verses that teach us how we can please God:
"... The things which are pleasing unto the world I do not write, but the things which are pleasing unto God and unto those who are not of the world." (1 Nephi 6:5, 2 Nephi 5:32) What are the kinds of things that Nephi writes? He writes about the Plan of Salvation, the Atonement, repentance, and his own life experiences. I imagine that it would please God if we entertained these topics in our households as well.
"...Feelings... tender and chaste and delicate... pleasing unto God." (Jacob 2:7) It is really easy to "be tough." It is easy to be hard hearted and not appreciate the delicate things, like soft music, soft words, whispers, motherhood, kindness, and the still small voice of the Spirit. I thought it was interesting that tender and delicate feelings please the Lord. What a nice goal to have - to be more tender. It seems that when I try to keep my voice softer (conveying more tenderness) then it is easier to feel the Spirit.
"It pleased the Lord to bruise him." (Isaiah 53:10) This is a strange one. I've heard a lot of people talk about this chapter. Why would it please the God to bruise his Son? I think it has to do with the Atonement. While Christ was suffering for our sins, he was fulfilling God's purpose - Christ was completing the most important step to making eternal life possible for man. It was pleasing to God that all his children would be able to obtain eternal life. Obviously it was painful (not pleasing) to see his Son suffer, but there was joy in that great purpose being fulfilled. It was a little like watching my little baby girl get her vaccination shots. She was looking at me with her beautiful trusting eyes until she felt a pain in her thigh that made her scream and cry like she's hardly ever done in her little lifetime. I felt so sorry for her, and I wanted her pain to stop. I knew that there would be another shot in her other thigh, but I did not ask the nurse to stop. This was for the best. And although it brought tears to my eyes too, I let her burst with another cry for the second shot. It was so hard, but I knew it would be better for this suffering to happen to avoid a much greater suffering (if she got sick). I held her so close for the next 2 days remembering how much she had hurt in that moment. My poor little baby. So what does this teach us about pleasing the God? Repentance. The Atonement is pleasing unto God, and it is a joy for Him to see us USE the Atonement to better our lives.
"Behold my Beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased." (3 Nephi 11:7) Be like Christ. And someday God will say that about you.
"Without faith no man pleaseth God." (D7C 63:11) I suppose you wouldn't be trying to please God unless you had faith in Him... But is your faith strong enough? (How can you tell? Here's a way: Do you keep all the commandments? If not, you need greater faith. How? Go read Preach My Gospel, the chapter on Christlike Attributes)
"... With some I am not well pleased, for they will not open their mouths, but they hide the talent which I have given unto them, because of the fear of man..." (D&C 60:2) Spread the gospel. That's an amazingly great way to please the Lord. You can feel the Spirit right away when you share the gospel. And feeling the Spirit is a way you know that the Lord is pleased with you (Preach My Gospel). Don't fear man. Obey God.
I didn't know that "please/pleased/pleasing" was a topic in the Book of Mormon index until I stumbled across it. Here are some interesting verses that teach us how we can please God:
"... The things which are pleasing unto the world I do not write, but the things which are pleasing unto God and unto those who are not of the world." (1 Nephi 6:5, 2 Nephi 5:32) What are the kinds of things that Nephi writes? He writes about the Plan of Salvation, the Atonement, repentance, and his own life experiences. I imagine that it would please God if we entertained these topics in our households as well.
"...Feelings... tender and chaste and delicate... pleasing unto God." (Jacob 2:7) It is really easy to "be tough." It is easy to be hard hearted and not appreciate the delicate things, like soft music, soft words, whispers, motherhood, kindness, and the still small voice of the Spirit. I thought it was interesting that tender and delicate feelings please the Lord. What a nice goal to have - to be more tender. It seems that when I try to keep my voice softer (conveying more tenderness) then it is easier to feel the Spirit.
"It pleased the Lord to bruise him." (Isaiah 53:10) This is a strange one. I've heard a lot of people talk about this chapter. Why would it please the God to bruise his Son? I think it has to do with the Atonement. While Christ was suffering for our sins, he was fulfilling God's purpose - Christ was completing the most important step to making eternal life possible for man. It was pleasing to God that all his children would be able to obtain eternal life. Obviously it was painful (not pleasing) to see his Son suffer, but there was joy in that great purpose being fulfilled. It was a little like watching my little baby girl get her vaccination shots. She was looking at me with her beautiful trusting eyes until she felt a pain in her thigh that made her scream and cry like she's hardly ever done in her little lifetime. I felt so sorry for her, and I wanted her pain to stop. I knew that there would be another shot in her other thigh, but I did not ask the nurse to stop. This was for the best. And although it brought tears to my eyes too, I let her burst with another cry for the second shot. It was so hard, but I knew it would be better for this suffering to happen to avoid a much greater suffering (if she got sick). I held her so close for the next 2 days remembering how much she had hurt in that moment. My poor little baby. So what does this teach us about pleasing the God? Repentance. The Atonement is pleasing unto God, and it is a joy for Him to see us USE the Atonement to better our lives.
"Behold my Beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased." (3 Nephi 11:7) Be like Christ. And someday God will say that about you.
"Without faith no man pleaseth God." (D7C 63:11) I suppose you wouldn't be trying to please God unless you had faith in Him... But is your faith strong enough? (How can you tell? Here's a way: Do you keep all the commandments? If not, you need greater faith. How? Go read Preach My Gospel, the chapter on Christlike Attributes)
"... With some I am not well pleased, for they will not open their mouths, but they hide the talent which I have given unto them, because of the fear of man..." (D&C 60:2) Spread the gospel. That's an amazingly great way to please the Lord. You can feel the Spirit right away when you share the gospel. And feeling the Spirit is a way you know that the Lord is pleased with you (Preach My Gospel). Don't fear man. Obey God.
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