THE DAYS AFTER CHRISTMAS

 The Days After Christmas

Now that Christmas day has come and gone, and we have celebrated and basked in the wonder and special activities,  what do we do next?

As I think of Joseph and Mary in the days following the birth of Christ, the coming of the shepherds, and the wonder of looking upon the precious Christ child, I can't help but think of my own experience in the days following the birth of our first son.

After all of the miracles and special spirit of the arrival of our firstborn, and all the well wishes from family, friends and hospital staff, we then brought him home to our small apartment.  I remember holding him on the couch and looking at my wife, and we were alone, and the reality of the situation set in, and I said, "what do we do now?"  It suddenly dawned on me that now we had responsibility to raise him, protect the him, provide for him, and actually learn how to BECOME a father and mother.  It was utterly humbling and a bit overwhelming.  I realized suddenly that my life could never be the same again, and that I needed to become someone different.

As this picture below portrays so well, Joseph and Mary likely faced the same sobering realities.

So what did they do?

Luke 2 explains that they moved forward in faith and obedience.  They didn't just wander back to Nazareth.  Instead, they completed the necessary purification and then took Jesus to the temple to present him before the Lord.

There is an example in this which we can learn from.

We have completed all the Christmas festivities and traditions and the day has now come and gone.  Will we simply revert back into our prior ways, patterns and habits?  Or will we remember the Christ and how having Him in our lives forever changes who we are and what we should become, and begin a process of purifying our hearts and moving towards Holier ground to present ourselves to the Lord?

Each time we remember Him, whether it be at the Christmas season, Easter, or even each week as we partake of the Sacrament,  we should be changed by such experiences.  It would be foolish for us to simply complete the hollow outward observances of such occasions and then revert back to who we were before.  We must reflect, make further changes of purification and commitment and move forward in faith, ever closer towards Him in higher and holier ways.

This type of change is NOT another "to do" list or strict new years resolutions we need to struggle to complete and check off.  Rather it is more of a release and surrender of the heart.  It is a process of letting go of our attempts to control things, and instead surrendering all of what and who we are into His loving hands, which are so beautifully marked with the level of His love and commitment to us.

In fact, the ultimate goal, and what we actually make covenants to do each week in the sacrament, is to "ALWAYS remember Him" so that we can "ALWAYS have His Spirit to be with us" in a state of constant companionship, friendship, and worship.

Why do we hold back or want to revert back into our old ways and habits of struggle?  Do we "fear" what the surrender to Him will require of the natural man within us, which clings so desperately to the temporary and meaningless things of Babylon?

Have we celebrated and are done?  Or will we now move forward and upward in faith and trust towards Him, and BECOME what only He can make us into?

When we truly come to realize Who He is and how much He truly loves us, the surrender is something of peace and ease.  It is a lifting of all our burdens and taking a first breath of fresh air.  For we realize that all He desires is to help remake us into His own image, so we can dwell with Him forevermore.

He Who Stands In The Gap

He Who Stands In The Gap

I don’t want to make any light-hearted comparisons, but I am always amazed at the loving and relatable ways the Lord helps me understand things. Perhaps it is just because I am a simple-minded guy in many ways and He knows I will connect the dots better with relatable imagery. But as I was studying, pondering and praying this morning, and feeling grateful for my Savior, some impressions came to my mind.

What came to me was the scene from the Lord of the Rings, when the fellowship are fleeing the mines of Moria, and are being pursued by the ancient demon, called the Balrog. The company is fleeing across a narrow bridge as the demon is about to overtake them. But in this company of little hobbits and mortal men, is a powerful wizard, named Gandalf. At this pivotal moment, Gandalf stops upon the narrow bridge to confront the fiery beast, standing between the demon and his friends.

Holding a sword in one hand and his staff in the other, he proclaims… no commands… “You shall not pass!!!”

Single-handedly he battles the demon and falls through deep caverns, and is wounded, but eventually emerges from that battle, having slain the Balrog, and having transformed himself from Gandalf the Gray… into Gandalf the White.

In this simple literary and cinematic imagery which came to my mind, the Lord showed me how He stands in the narrow way, between myself and the fiery adversary we would call, the devil. He alone held in his hands the power and ability to command death and hell proclaiming, “You shall not pass!!!” With a sword and staff, he conquered both physical death through the resurrection and spiritual death through His atoning sacrifice. He was willing to condescend and descend through the depths of hell to overcome the darkest of foes, and emerged from the pit a resurrected and glorified Being of pureness.

"He Lives" by Simon Dewey

And even still, like Gandalf the White in the story, He is willing to continue to ride into battle with us in our personal battles against our enemies in the daily walk of life…. Right down in the trenches with us in all the dirty muck of it all. All so he can teach us how to be warriors, how to conquer our fears, and how to become worthy of the crown He so longingly wants to place upon us in His Kingdom.

I am so grateful for my “Gandalf the White”, my Savior and Redeemer, even Jesus Christ!!!

Through my covenants with Him, He stands in the breach between me and the foul demon. He was willing to take my blows, whips and suffering upon Himself… all so that He could lead me towards learning to become a King myself and inheriting a throne in His kingdom.

Oh, how my heart rejoices because of Him! That humble Babe in a manger, once wrapped in simple swaddling cloth, who now stands in royal robes of White! All honor and glory be to Him! He is ever worthy of all our adoration and devotion!

TOKENS OF LOVE

TOKENS OF LOVE

Today at lunch, while sitting in my car, I looked up and noticed these two hand-carved pieces which are hanging from my rear view mirror.  They were crafted by my multi-talented wife and given to me as a gift.  The turtle is a symbol of long life and the hook is a symbol of prosperity (the Polynesian way of saying 'live long and prosper' 🖖 🙂).  They are beautiful, visual and tangible tokens of her love for me and her desires for success in my endeavors as I leave home each day.  And when I paused and took the time to notice them again today, it warmed my heart and filled me with appreciation for my wife.

But sadly, although I am near them every day and every time I am in my car, I often fail to recognize them or acknowledge them for what they represent.  My thoughts, vision and focus is somewhere off in the distance and engaged in other things.

How often are we that way in life?  With so many distractions and conflicts vying for our attention it is easy to get caught up in worries about finances, political divisions, civil unrest, pandemic uncertainties, and countless other issues.

And while these things sometimes require our attention, we often fail to recognize the many visible and tangible tokens of God's love for us, which surround us each day - the laughter of a child, the kindness of a smile, the light in someone's eyes, the color of a blooming flower, the song of a bird, the sound of gentle rain, a cool breeze on a warm day, or the warmth and light of the sun on a cool day, the embrace of a loved one, etc.

Regular, medatative pause and recognition of these visible and tangible tokens of God's love remind us of His presence in our world and does wonders for the soul if we but shift our focus to acknowledge them for what they are.  They are all signs of life and His love for us and were created to bring us joy.

And even more importantly,  it would do us well to more frequently pause, recognize and remember the most important Tokens of God's Love for us,  which are carved within the hands and feet of our Master,  our Savior, and our Redeemer Jesus Christ!

The tokens of His love are all around us if we will but shift our perspective to recognize them for what they are.  And by doing so, they have the power to change our hearts and fill our lives with peace, joy, happiness and a measure of His love.

And in today's crazy world, we could all use a little more of that!

(Carvings and drawing are both creations of my wife, Nikki Jensen Andreasen)

THE APOCALYPSE

 THE APOCALYPSE

I love learning new meanings and interpretations, and this one was really surprising to me! It comes from “The Book of Mysteries” by Jonathan Cahn (pg. 139). It was something I had never considered before!

I had always considered the word APOCALYPSE with a negative image in my mind. A time of the destruction and cleansing. But this definition sheds such a positive light upon what will really be happening. It represents a great day for the righteous, and likely a dreadful day for the wicked.

“The word ‘Apocalypse’ comes from the Greek ‘apokalupsis’, which, in turn, comes from two root words: ‘apo’, which means to remove, and ‘kalupsis’, which means a veil or covering. So apocalypse is the removing of the veil. It speaks of the revealing, the opening of the vision concerning the end. But there’s another connection. When you get to the end of the Bible and to the end of the apocalypse, you find there is a bride and a Bridegroom. You find a wedding. In the ancient Hebrew marriage, on the day of the wedding, when the bride and groom, after their long separation, now stand face-to-face, the bride lifts the veil from her face – the removing of the veil, the apokalupsis, the apocalypse. So the two stand there, with no veils and no more separations, face-to-unveiled-face. In the same way, there will come a day, a wedding day, when all veils will be removed and we will see Him as He is, and He will see us as we are, unveiled, face-to-face. You see, we are all heading to one apocalypse or another, the apocalypse of judgement, or in salvation, the apocalypse of the wedding. And if you are of the wedding, then you must even now come before Him and remove your veil and your coverings, with no more separations and nothing hidden. For only if you come as you are, can you know Him as He is. And only then will He be able to touch you and you must be touched and changed. Learn the secret of living as on the day of the wedding… even now… with no coverings… in the apocalypse of the bride and groom… face-to-face… and beyond the veil.”

BRINGING FORTH SPIRITUAL OIL

SPIRITUAL OIL

 

We all seek to fill our lamps with oil and even have oil in reserve. We also desire to be considered among the Anointed of the Lord.

But I think that often we lack the willingness to undergo the crushing and pressing which brings forth the sacred oil from the good fruit.

We don't SEEK for trials or the crushing pressures of trying experiences. They will come as part of the mortal experience. But it is at least important that we are willing to SUBMIT to whatever process the Lord sees fit for us to experience to bring forth that oil from within. It may require some initial plucking from our current place on the vine. There may be scrubbing and cleaning to even prepare before the final pressing process.

I think that is part of what having a broken heart and a contrite spirit is about. A heart that is not hardened like flint which shatters under pressure, but a heart which is soft, willing to ripen on the vine where it has been planted, and to undergo the process of change from a state of "potential" into a state of "being" useful and purified.

No one desires difficulty. Even the Master asked if there could be another way in His dark hour of strain. But He DID submit to what was required. And that made all the difference.

Premortally, we were like a viable seed. Full of potential for growth. Here in mortality we have been planted in the vineyard and will either produce good fruit or bad. But even as good fruit, we still fall short of our full potential until we become willing to submit to the pressing and refining process needed to allow the OIL to come forth.

The process requires change. And it is always uncomfortable. But the transformation is always for the better IF we allow ourselves to be softened, molded and purified under the Master of the Garden who has known our potential from the beginning.

THE CALL TO BATTLE

 The Call to Battle

Yesterday, a good friend shared with me a link to the reading of the full 7,400+ word letter Joseph Smith wrote while a prisoner in Liberty jail (to which I will place a link below).  Small excerpts of that letter are now found in Sections 121-123 of the Doctrine and covenants.  But hearing those sections in context of the full letter and all that surrounds it was very informative and shed new and wonderful light on some of those verses we know and love.  I would recommend listening to it if you have an hour to spare in the link below.

 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fe2V-tKuDKQ

One of the things which struck me, was a portion when Joseph was explaining how all of their sufferings, trials and persecutions in jail, and those of the Saints in general who were being driven out of their homes and deprived in terrible ways, was a necessary occurrence.  It was necessary so that they would then feel welcome, and not ashamed, to be in the presence of the faithful ancients who gave their all for the gospel’s sake and for their love and testimony of God, but would now someday stand worthily in their company.

 

Forgive me for a Lord of the Rings parallel, but it brings to mind the scene from “The Return of the King” of Théoden, the King of Rohan.  He had lived a portion of prior life being deceived and unwittingly serving some of the forces of darkness, having been misled by his counselor ‘worm tongue.’  He was essentially in a state of spiritual slumber, and was not fulfilling his role as King to his people.

Through events he had then been awakened from his bewitched slumber, but suffered doubts and concerns as to his reign and how he would be remembered or compared to the heroic ancient Kings.  But finally, when the call to final battle had come against the enemy forces of darkness, he had risen to the occasion.

He fought bravely and valiantly, and in the face of overwhelming odds he proved himself a true King.  As he lay upon the field of battle, broken and dying, he briefly reflects upon his life and proclaims, “I go to my fathers.  And even in their mighty company I shall not now be ashamed.  I have felled the black serpent.  A grim morn, and a glad day, and a golden sunset!”

It occurred to me during the explanation of Joseph Smith in his full letter, that in addition to the personal spiritual refinement which the trials, persecutions and calamities preceding the Second Coming will help us with, it will also serve to offer us the opportunity to sacrifice at a necessary level to put us on par (at least in some small degree) with the ancients, who have gone on to inherit their eternal reward.  Of course, our sacrifices will all be individualized and meted out according to what the Lord sees fit.  But what Joseph seemed to be indicating throughout his full letter to the Saints, is that we must gracefully and willingly endure such events to be worthy of the grand company we hope to associate with some day.  And I think that perspective can offer us more resolve in facing what must come, and why it must come for our betterment, and our eventual eternal reward.

 

We may not know what our personal part and portion will be in the winding up scenes between now and the glorious Second Coming of our Savior, but we can know that the Lord has customized and allowed it for our betterment, and to prove our own resolve, so that we too might stand worthy to mingle with the faithful ancients who we admire.  We who have made covenants with God and our Lord, and seek to be true disciples of Jesus Christ, are being mustered to the battle.

And our most important and significant battles will likely not be in the public eye upon some grand stage, but rather, within the private chambers of our own hearts and within our own homes.

 

In another Lord of the Rings parallel, consider what we may face in our lives in context of the scene when the riders of Rohan are being mustered to arms, to go and join the fight to deliver the world from evil.  Their Captain and King call to them:

“Now is the hour come, Riders of the Mark (Covenant people of the Lord).  Foes and fire are before you, and your homes are far behind.  Yet, though you fight upon an alien field, the glory that you reap there shall be your own forever.  Oaths ye have taken; now fulfill them all, to Lord and land and league of friendship!  …Forth now, and fear no darkness!”

 

May we too faithfully heed the call of the trumpet, fortify our spiritual foundations, and face with face and fortitude the days and years to come.  We need not fear or tremble, knowing that our Lord is with us and that He has already triumphed over all the foes of darkness.  He is but giving us the chance to rise, humbly yet faithfully, into the ranks of the righteous who will inherit the eternal reward, and feel worthy among the Mighty Company which there awaits us with rejoicing!

"Blessed is the man that resisteth temptation; for when he is tried, he shall receive the crown of life, which the Lord hath promised to them that love him." - James 1:12

"ROCK" CLIMBING

"ROCK" CLIMBING 

I remember an occasion many years ago, when me and my three brothers were rock climbing.  One brother had already successfully made the climb to the top.  He was encouraging my youngest brother, who was currently climbing and was nearing the top of the sheer rock face, as we belayed him with ropes from below.

 

(This is a google image - not actually of my brother's climb)

From where we were out and away from the cliff, and from the position of my brother above, we could see there was a good, solid handhold just above where our climbing brother was reaching, which would allow him to safely grasp and pull himself up and towards the top where he could rest triumphantly.   But despite our coaxing, from where he was, body flat against the cliff, he could not see it.  After several moments of reaching and feeling along the rock face he started to fatigue and shake and finally cried out, "There's nothing!"

 

We could see the secure handhold in the rock and encouraged him to stretch and reach just one inch higher.  Exerting himself just a bit more than he had previously, he finally stretched beyond what he thought his limits were, and caught that perfect grip.

This gave him the needed leverage and propelled Him up and over the top.  He stood, shouting in joy and triumph, and embraced his older brother who had been coaching along from the top.  And we who were still below, and had yet to make the climb, also cheered and celebrated at his success.

 

I think our journey towards the promised blessings of Zion is a lot like this climbing experience.  In the midst of the arduous climb, focused so intently upon just holding on to the rock, we can't always see or recognize how close we are to the top or where the next secure handhold or foothold of faith is located.

 

Some climbers attempt to free climb, with no safety ropes or anchors for security.  And while this may seem more exhilarating, it is a method which is fraught with peril.  For one missed grasp, or slip of the foot will send them crashing downward with no one to arrest their fall.

 

Our safest course is with the help of other experienced guides and climbers, who know the best route to take and where the most secure hand and foot holds are located.  Then, when we reach points along the way where we cannot see what to do next, we will have the guidance of the Spirit and others who can more clearly see (Called Prophets & Seers), encouraging us, "Hold on!  Stretch a bit more!  Reach a little further!  Trust me, it is right there!  You are almost to the top!"

 

When we finally reach the top of our journey up mount Zion, and are resting in the embrace of our Elder Brother and Savior, who successfully climbed the path and overcame every obstacle, the elation and joy of having made the climb successfully will likely far exceed anything we have imagined.  And we will find that the rock we have been securely climbing on has been none other than The Rock, our Savior and Redeemer who is The Way.

 

"Journey's End" by Derek Hegsted

Until that glorious moment comes - Just hold on!  Keep climbing!  Stretch a little farther!  We are almost there!

"... prepare thine heart, and stretch out thine hands toward him." - Job 11:13

STRENGTHENING OUR SPIRITUAL FOUNDATIONS

 STRENGTHENING OUR SPIRITUAL FOUNDATIONS

If you have ever read the Lord of the Rings books or seen the movies, you might recall the battle which took place at Helm’s Deep.  It was a fortress and refuge built up against the solid towering mountains.  It was a place which had always withstood the attack of its enemies throughout the history of the people of Rohan.  It had never fallen.  So, when the evil Orc armies began to attack, the King ordered all of the people to retreat into Helm’s Deep where they could outlast and hold off the invasion attempts.  The King was confident in their security in this time-tested and proven stronghold.

 

But as the orc army attacked, their brutality, relentlessness, and endless numbers were unexpected!

They assaulted the causeway and the main door with a battering ram. They used ladders to try and scale the high, protective walls.  And yet the defenses held.  Despite the attacks, the King remained confident and proclaimed, almost in a challenge to his enemy, “Is that it? Is that the best you can muster?”

 

But the enemy had discovered one, small, previously unnoticed weakness in the foundation of the protective walls.  It was a small drain hole.

And the enemy seized its opportunity.  Using a new tactic, they set an explosion, breached the wall, and began to overrun the castle and those who were fighting to defend it.

As the people were falling and retreating deeper into the fortress in an effort to protect themselves, King Théoden, is in shock, and declared, “What can men do against such reckless hate?”  He was caught unawares at the relentless brutality of the attack and did not know that a weakness existed in the previously sure and solid foundation of his fortress.

 

Now consider some of what Pres. Russell M. Nelson just taught and encouraged us to consider in this latest conference.

 “…it is now time that we each implement extraordinary measures—perhaps measures we have never taken before—to strengthen our personal spiritual foundations. Unprecedented times call for unprecedented measures.  My dear brothers and sisters, these are the latter days. If you and I are to withstand the forthcoming perils and pressures, it is imperative that we each have a firm spiritual foundation built upon the rock of our Redeemer, Jesus Christ.  So I ask each of you, how firm is your foundation? And what reinforcements to your testimony and understanding of the gospel are needed?”

 

How much have we considered and followed up on these invitations?  Have we begun to look at our own spiritual foundations, and prayerfully asked the Lord to show us what weaknesses and previously unknown spiritual drain holes might exist and make us vulnerable to attack?  Have we asked Him how we might go about filling those potential weak spots and fortify ourselves more completely?  Is our foundation sure, solid, and FULLY anchored to the Rock of our Redeemer, Jesus Christ?

 

It seems we have been warned repeatedly over the past several years, that between now and when the Lord comes again, the attacks of the adversary against our spiritual foundations will be intensified, relentless, brutal, unexpected, and in ways we have never been assaulted before.  And we cannot rest upon our previously successful attempts and measures of defense.  We have been repeatedly counseled, encouraged, and pleaded with to take new, extraordinary, and unprecedented protective measures and preparations if we hope to survive the attacks.

 

I also find another interesting comparison in the Lord of the Rings stories and what the prophet is trying to tell us, in regards to temple worship and the urgency of gathering Israel through covenants on both sides of the veil.  This is in relation to the battles of Helm’s Deep and also the enemies unprecedented assault on the white city of Minas Tirith.

 

In both battles, the enemy was only overcome and defeated because supportive armies and outside friendly forces came to offer support to those who were defending their walled cities which were being overrun.  And in the case of Minas Tirith, it was an army of deceased warriors, who had been summoned to fulfill their covenants and oaths to fight for the King, who eventually provided the strength in battle to overcome the evil forces and prevent the walled city from falling.

 

I find those parallels fascinating in relation to the work and service in the temple, as we strengthen not only our own spiritual foundations through our worship and service there, but also provide opportunities for our deceased ancestors to make covenants with the Lord through proxy ordinances.  And as we serve in their behalf, I believe many or most of them are so grateful, that they in turn seek to do all they can to then protect and guard us through our mortal journey and the attacks of the adversary.  

 

And oh, how I think we will need the strength of our ancestors as we face the unprecedented attacks in the months and years ahead.  Now is not the time to shy away from our temple covenants, service and worship, or to hesitate or doubt because of small procedural changes which the Lord may be implementing to Hasten the Work of this important gathering of friendly forces on both sides of the veil.

It is also interesting to note, that in both battles in the Lord of the Rings series, the outside help only came in the final hours.  The defenders had to determine to "fight to the last man" and be willing to endure to the end, whatever that end might be, or else they would have been swept off before the help finally came to deliver them.

In similar manner, we must hold faithful and true to the knowledge we have and the covenants we have made.  We worship a God of the 4th watch, who often steps in with His divine deliverance only after we have proven ourselves fully committed to the cause.  So Hold strong and battle on, even when the odds seem out of your favor!

Pres. Nelson adds, “The temple lies at the center of strengthening our faith and spiritual fortitude because the Savior and His doctrine are the very heart of the temple. Everything taught in the temple, through instruction and through the Spirit, increases our understanding of Jesus Christ. His essential ordinances bind us to Him through sacred priesthood covenants. Then, as we keep our covenants, He endows us with His healing, strengthening power.  And oh, how we will need His power in the days ahead.  We have been promised that ‘if [we] are prepared [we] shall not fear.’  This assurance has profound implications today. The Lord has declared that despite today’s unprecedented challenges, those who build their foundations upon Jesus Christ, and have learned how to draw upon His power, need not succumb to the unique anxieties of this era.  …I plead with you to seek—prayerfully and consistently—to understand temple covenants and ordinances.  Spiritual doors will open. You will learn how to part the veil between heaven and earth, how to ask for God’s angels to attend you, and how better to receive direction from heaven. Your diligent efforts to do so will reinforce and strengthen your spiritual foundation. …Please believe me when I say that when your spiritual foundation is built solidly upon Jesus Christ, you have no need to fear. As you are true to your covenants made in the temple, you will be strengthened by His power. Then, when spiritual earthquakes occur, you will be able to stand strong because your spiritual foundation is solid and immovable.”

 

May we double and re-double our humble efforts to prepare, seek the Lord’s help in discovering and fortifying the previously undetected weak spots in our foundations, and build up and summon our friendly, supportive, outside forces to help us stand strong and overcome the attacks of the adversary, and stand with humble confidence and faith upon the Rock of our Redeemer, whose foundation in sure and cannot fall.

 

“And now, my sons, remember, remember that it is upon the rock of our Redeemer, who is Christ, the Son of God, that ye must build your foundation; that when the devil shall send forth his mighty winds, yea, his shafts in the whirlwind, yea, when all his hail and his mighty storm shall beat upon you, it shall have no power over you to drag you down to the gulf of misery and endless wo, because of the rock upon which ye are built, which is a sure foundation, a foundation whereon if men build they cannot fall.” – Helaman 5:12

His Rending or Redeeming Return

 

His Rending or Redeeming Return

As I was studying today about the Lord’s prophesied return to the Mount of Olives, as recorded in (D&C 45:48, Zechariah 14:4) it struck me the profound significance of that event, and at least one reason why His return there is such an important event prior to His global appearance to the entire world.

“And then shall the Lord set his foot upon this mount, and it shall cleave in twain, and the earth shall tremble, and reel to and fro, and the heavens shall shake.  And the Lord shall utter his voice, and all the ends of the earth shall hear it: and the nations of the earth shall mourn, and the that have laughed shall see their folly.  And calamity shall cover the mocker, and the scorner shall be consumed; and they that have watched for iniquity shall be hewn down and cast into the fire.  And then shall the Jews look upon me and say; What are these wounds in thine hands and in thy feet?  Then shall they know that I am the Lord; for I will say unto them; These are the wounds with which I was wounded in the house of my friends.  I am he who was lifted up.  I am Jesus that was crucified.  I am the Son of God.  And then shall they weep because of their iniquities; then shall they lament because the persecuted their king.” – Doctrine & Covenants 45:48-53

 

Just consider this event.  It will come at the very time when Jerusalem has fallen to the invading armies.  His two prophesied prophets who have valiantly defended the city of Jerusalem for 3 ½ years will have been slain and lain in the streets for 3 days, and the remnants of the Jews who remain will be fleeing for their lives from the wicked host who has finally overcome them.

In this very moment, Christ will appear in a glorious descent from heaven.  His now glorified and resurrected feet will once again touch the soil of the Mount of Olives.  This is the very ground which his feet have not touched since he sweat great drops of blood from every pore as he writhed in agony in the garden called Gethsemane, as he suffered for the sins and afflictions of all creation (including the earth itself).  This ground to which his precious blood dropped in an atoning act of redemption, will now be touched once again by the glorious Master which has redeemed it… And the soil and rock will shudder and cleave in twain as result of that utter contrasting touch of agony and suffering, compared with His fulness of glory and triumph over all foes as He redeems the earth, sweeps away wickedness and ushers in His Millennial reign.

The Jews whom He redeemed spiritually when His mortal atonement was performed, will now be redeemed physically as He becomes their true King and Messiah, and they will weep at the recognition and understanding of Who He truly is compared to who they thought He was.

 

As we consider how this ground and people will react at his coming with the acknowledgement of who He was then in mortality - compared to Who He truly is now in His glory as King of Kings - it might also be good to ask, how will we react at His coming?

 

If the recognition of rock and soil shudders and shatters at His glorious touch and presence, how will our bodies and souls react when we finally stand before Him?

We will not stand at all… but in that moment every knee shall bow and every tongue confess that He is the Christ!

How that moment for us will be determined mostly by how our relationship is with Him right here and right now, each and every day.  It will be a day of broken and shattered hearts weeping tears of sorrow in recognition of who He is and how we have failed to know Him, or a day of sweet redemption filled with tears of joy and His loving embrace as we welcome Him as the One we have already come to know.

Is he far from the thoughts and intents of our hearts, or is He at the very center and purpose of all that we do?

Are we caught up and consumed in the affairs of Babylon and the worldly things around us, or are we doing all we do out of love and worship of Him and to love and serve those around us in His behalf?

Certainly, we all have room for repentance and improvement when it comes to our relationship with Him.  It is so easy to get distracted and forgetful in the disruption of daily divisions and disasters.  But with the chaos and calamity in the world around us, it is all the more important for us to heed His loving call now to, “Come Unto Me.”

When the day of His coming happens for us, how will it be… heart-rending or redeeming?

Is it any wonder why our prophet, Russell M. Nelson urged us to, “Do the spiritual work to find out for yourselves, and please do it now. Time is running out!”

 

“Wherefore, my beloved brethren, pray unto the Father with all the energy of heart, that ye may be filled with this love, which he hath bestowed upon all who are true followers of his Son, Jesus Christ; that ye may become the sons of God; that when he shall appear we shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is; that we may have this hope; that we may be purified even as he is pure. Amen.” – Moroni 7:48

Harmony Leads Heavenward

 

Harmony Leads Heavenward, Dissonance Leads Towards Darkness

 

Have you ever heard a group of people singing or playing orchestral instruments in a beautiful, uplifting song in near perfect harmony?  Isn’t it a wonderful thing to experience?  It is as if the resonance, vibration and synchronicity literally cause a change in the surrounding atmosphere, and those who experience it are literally moved and changed to some degree.  It can be almost like a flowing energy of tangible love.

 

In contrast, have you ever been subject to a group of people all singing out of tune (sorry to all those who have sat near me when I am singing in Church meetings!!!) or gritted your teeth through amateur musicians who were playing out of rhythm and out of tune?  Such experiences can very literally agitate the soul.  In fact, there have been times in my life when I have realized I am feeling uneasy and it is as if my heart is not quite in rhythm or something, and as I become aware of my surroundings, I realize that certain music lyrics or beats playing in the background are the source of that disturbance.

 

We are surrounded by energy.  We might call it the Light of Christ or that power which connects us to the source of ALL life, which is Jesus Christ (see D&C 88:6-13).

But certain things can disrupt that flow of energy and life-giving harmony.  And when we cut ourselves off or restrict the flow of that energy to our souls, then we begin to wither and die.  In fact, Jesus described this clearly when he proclaimed:

“I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing.” – John 15:5

 

Is it any wonder then, that when Christ came to visit the Nephites following His resurrection, that almost the first thing he taught them was the following:

“For verily, verily I say unto you, he that hath the spirit of contention is not of me, but is of the devil, who is the father of contention, and he stirreth up the hearts of men to contend with anger, one with another.  Behold, this is not my doctrine, to stir up the hearts of men with anger, one against another; but this is my doctrine, that such things should be done away.” – 3 Nephi 11:29-30

 

Can you feel it?  Can you sense and feel the disruptive and destructive dissonance in the world around you right now?  Can you feel it in your own heart as a result of contention, anger, judgement, and disagreements you are having over various issues?

 

If we answer yes to the above questions, it may be a very good time to look inwardly and see what sources we are connected to.  What societal, political, economic or spiritual music are we consuming, listening to, singing and playing in our own lives?  And I am not talking about pointing a finger of blame towards others, but rather looking inward at what music and tone we might be creating and broadcasting to the world around us.

 

In contrast, consider what might be the condition and influence if we could instead learn to better forgive, love, serve and have compassion towards one another - If we simply learned to sing our assigned part a bit more in tune, or play our assigned individual instrument according to the Conductors lead.

 

What might it be like if we individually and then collectively developed a harmony, rhythm and oneness of heart (At-One-Ment) which placed us more directly in the flow of that Divine Power and Energy which flows from Christ?  Have we ever heard of an instance when this has happened?  The answer is, Yes!

 

“And it came to pass that while the angels were ministering unto the disciples, behold, Jesus came and stood in the midst and ministered unto them.  And it came to pass that he spake unto the multitude, and commanded them that they should kneel down again upon the earth, and also that his disciples should kneel down upon the earth.  And it came to pass that when they had all knelt down upon the earth, he commanded his disciples that they should pray.  And behold, they began to pray; and they did pray unto Jesus, calling him their Lord and their God.  And it came to pass that Jesus departed out of the midst of them, and went a little way off from them and bowed himself to the earth, and he said: Father, I thank thee that thou hast given the Holy Ghost unto these whom I have chosen; and it is because of their belief in me that I have chosen them out of the world.  Father, I pray thee that thou wilt give the Holy Ghost unto all them that shall believe in their words.  Father, thou hast given them the Holy Ghost because they believe in me; and thou seest that they believe in me because thou hearest them, and they pray unto me; and they pray unto me because I am with them.  And now Father, I pray unto thee for them, and also for all those who shall believe on their words, that they may believe in me, that I may be in them as thou, Father, art in me, that we may be one.  And it came to pass that when Jesus had thus prayed unto the Father, he came unto his disciples, and behold, they did still continue, without ceasing, to pray unto him; and they did not multiply many words, for it was given unto them what they should pray, and they were filled with desire.  And it came to pass that Jesus blessed them as they did pray unto him; and his countenance did smile upon them, and the light of his countenance did shine upon them, and behold they were as white as the countenance and also the garments of Jesus; and behold the whiteness thereof did exceed all the whiteness, yea, even there could be nothing upon earth so white as the whiteness thereof.  And Jesus said unto them: Pray on; nevertheless they did not cease to pray.  And he turned from them again, and went a little way off and bowed himself to the earth; and he prayed again unto the Father, saying:  Father, I thank thee that thou hast purified those whom I have chosen, because of their faith, and I pray for them, and also for them who shall believe on their words, that they may be purified in me, through faith on their words, even as they are purified in me.  Father, I pray not for the world, but for those whom thou hast given me out of the world, because of their faith, that they may be purified in me, that I may be in them as thou, Father, art in me, that we may be one, that I may be glorified in them.  And when Jesus had spoken these words he came again unto his disciples; and behold they did pray steadfastly, without ceasing, unto him; and he did smile upon them again; and behold they were white, even as Jesus.” – 3 Nephi 19:15-30

 

IS THIS NOT THE ZION FOR WHICH WE CHRISTIANS PROCLAIM TO SEEK?!?!

 

As the world drifts and even cascades headlong into a crashing cacophony of dissonance, it is becoming of us, if we truly hope to establish Zion, we must begin to turn our corrective fingers humbly and repentantly inward, and open our hearts outward to Him who is The Light and Life.  It is only as we become At-One with Him and those around us that we can place ourselves into rhythm and synchronicity with the divine flow which will carry us Homeward and Heavenward.

A BROKEN HEART

 A “Broken” Heart

We had the blessing of having one of our adult sons with us for our home Sacrament this morning before he left for his own home, and he mentioned something about having a broken heart which greatly impressed me.

We often associate having a broken heart with undergoing a process of sorrow, grief, suffering, refining, being compelled to be humble and other connections.  And these are all very true and real sources of causing us to enter into a state of humility where we can become teachable and moldable.  But these associations seem to indicate a condition of punishment rather than love.

But there is also another definition of what it means to be “broken.”

Just think of the relationship between a skilled horseman and his trusting steed compared to someone trying to hop onto a wild horse.  The wild horse will buck, snort, kick and try to throw the rider from his mount at all costs.  And a “worldly or natural” man might seek to break that horse through a process of harsh punishment.

But a truly skilled and master horseman approaches the relationship like that of a “horse whisperer”, lovingly establishing an unforced relationship of trust and companionship.  Such a horse which is “broken” in this loving manner is actually in a complete relationship of trust with its rider.  A skilled rider and his faithful horse have a relationship of love and trust almost as if they can read each other’s thoughts and intentions of where they need to go.  As such, the master rider often rarely needs to pull on the reigns unless he can foresee a danger or knows that a different route should be taken.  But often along the journey he trusts the horse’s instincts to keep them moving forward towards the desired end goal of their journey together.  It is a joint relationship where two beings become almost as one.

I love that thought and definition of what it means to have a “broken heart” in our relationship to the Lord.  It is not merely existing in a state of sorrow or imagined punishment to keep us in a state of submission, domination and control.  But rather, it is allowing the Lord to “bridle our passions” and allowing His gentle and loving hand to guide us, as we move faithfully forward, trusting in His divine understanding of the best way to help us reach our desired destination.  It is a trusting, joint relationship of love which allows us to actually fulfill the measure of our creation and allow Him to be with us through the entirety of the journey, instead of trying to buck Him off and out of our lives when we don’t like the direction His gentle leading tugs on the reigns are guiding us towards.

A truly “broken” and faithful horse loves its master, and derives joy from being with him, and helping take him where he needs to go, and is pleased to be of service to the master.  And a loving master always leads his horse to fresh waters and green pastures, but also knows when pushing it at a faster pace is required to get where they need to go.

If we could only learn to be “broken” in a similar way to allow the Lord and His Spirit to guide us, we would avoid many unforeseen snares, stumbles, vipers and hazards and instead find ourselves traveling safely along the straight and narrow path which leads to eternal life… all the while realizing that we are not doing it on our own, but under His loving direction and actually enveloped in His embrace.

          “And I saw heaven opened, and behold a white horse; and he that sat upon him was called Faithful and True, and in righteousness he doth judge and make war.  His eyes were as a flame of fire, and on his head were many crowns; and he had a name written, that no man knew, but He himself.  And he was clothed with a vesture dipped in blood: and his name is called The Word of God.  And the armies which were in heaven followed him upon white horses, clothed in fine linen, white and clean.  …And he hath on his vesture and on his thigh a name written, KING OF KINGS, AND LORD OF LORDS.” – Revelations 19:11-16

Finding the Strength to Hold On

Finding the Strength to Hold On

Many years ago, when I was senior in high school, I had a brief, but terrifying experience.

My older brother was gone serving as a missionary in South America, and my two younger brothers, who are 10 and 12 years younger than me, were too small to help, so I went with my father to purchase and load up an old wood burning stove from a private couple who lived on the outskirts of town.  Now I don’t know if you have ever had to move a big, thick, metal wood burning stove before, but they are extremely bulky and heavy.  Depending on the make and manufacturer they can weigh between 300 to 800 pounds… and this one was down in the basement of the house.

 The husband of the house was away at work, and so it was left to my father and me to try and get it up the stairs and out onto a trailer we had borrowed to haul it home.  My Dad was in his late 40’s at that time, but still fairly physically capable and strong, and I was a strapping teenage football player who regularly lifted weights, so for some reason, we thought we were tough enough to give it a try.  It was HEAVY!  We come from some stubborn, Viking ancestry, so wisdom didn’t prevail as it should have.

We lifted the enormous and awkward weight of it and managed to get it around the corner and were, one agonizing step at a time lifting it up the stairs from the basement.  It took a coordinated effort to lift together and take the next step up.  My father was on the top and having to squat down and pull upwards to the step he was on, while I simultaneously lifted from below and then took a quick step upwards once the legs of the stove were resting on the next higher step.  Remarkably, we had made it about three fourths of the way up the steps when in the midst of the next lift, my father’s back went out, and he collapsed backwards onto the upper steps behind him.

Suddenly, the weight of the entire stove rotated a bit and tipped back towards me and I found myself in a most precarious and terrifying position.  Essentially, the upper portion of the stove was resting precariously on one leg of the higher step while I was holding a dead lift of the weight below as one corner of the stove top jabbed into the meat of my chest.  I quivered for a moment and then somehow stabilized the weight, with certainly nothing but fear for my life giving me enough strength to hold the load.

I will never forget my father’s face as he looked down over the top of the stove, in complete agony over the searing pain in his back, with his eyes full of horror at the situation I was in.  At any second, and even if I tried to adjust my grip or the position of my feet, the enormous cast iron bulk would have pushed me over backwards and certainly crushed me beneath it on its terrible descent to the bottom of the stairs.  It was all I could do and took all my effort just to hold my precarious position.

The lady of the house, who was watching from the top of the stairs gave out a little shriek, her eyes open wide in shock, and it was only the agonizing voice of my father who snapped her out of it as he cried out to her, “Go get some help!”

Of course we should have gotten help much sooner, but in that moment, there was no time for second guessing, or thinking “we should have used a moving dolly”, or anything else… it was now a complete focus on survival from one straining second to the next.  My Dad struggled to get up and attempted to help pull the weight forward toward him to alleviate my burden, but with his injury there wasn’t much he could do.  I remember him feebly pleading, “Oh, Eric!  Hold on!”

I don’t know how long it was that I teetered on the brink of disaster.  I just remember straining with every ounce of my strength, with legs and arms trembling beneath the load as sweat poured down into my eyes and a deep pain penetrating the flesh of my left chest where the corner of the stove was digging in, and knowing that if I relaxed or let up for even an instant, disaster would follow.  There was no room or way to step aside in the narrow staircase to try and jump out of the way, there was only holding the load for as long as it took or be crushed beneath the weight.

Looking back at it now, I am fairly certain there may have been some unseen angelic help in supporting the weight for the length of time which seemed to stretch on forever, but in the moment, I felt completely alone under the potentially crushing weight, which seemed a burden far too heavy to bear for even another agonizing second.  All I could do was suffer the weight and pain of it, as I looked up into my father’s pleading eyes which seemed to silently and prayerfully say, “Just keep holding on!”

Eventually, after what seemed like an eternity, the woman returned with several neighborhood men, who helped my Dad up out of the way and then mercifully pulled the burden away from me to better steady on the steps above.  The relief was overwhelming as I stood trembling and drenched in sweat.  They steadied the stove for several minutes as they discussed the situation, and allowed me a brief reprieve, but eventually we realized there was no way for them to get around or over the top of the stove to help from below.  So with their combined help from above, I once again had to help lift the burden from down below and we eventually made it up to the top of the stairs.

I actually don’t remember much after that about loading it onto the trailer or even getting it home into the house or what happened.  I think my mortal bodily systems were in a state of shock as the dissipating effects of the Adrenalin rush took its toll.

But as I look back on it all now, I realize how seemingly foolish it was to have logically thought we could have lifted such a heavy burden up the stairs on our own.  And it seems impossible that I could have sustained holding the weight for as long as I did without being crushed mercilessly beneath it.   But there are some parallels and lessons I now realize from that experience.

Firstly – we are often much stronger than we think we are.  Sometimes it may seem like we carry a crushing load that we cannot seemingly bear.  It doesn’t matter if it is emotional, physical, spiritual, psychological or whatever.  If we were to look and examine our situation logically, it may seem we cannot possibly endure the weight and strain of the situation.  But there are likely hidden reserves of strength waiting to be drawn out if we will but hold on a little longer with all that we have.

And more importantly, I cannot help but consider the lessons from this experience which relate (even if only in a very minor way) to our Savior’s incredible suffering in Gethsemane.  In my brief ordeal of several minutes, my body was wracked with strain and I was drenched with sweat and left with a deep bruise in my chest.  But for Him, the weight of all eternity rested upon his mighty shoulders with a strain that only He could bear… and despite His divinity, He sweat as it were, “great drops of blood falling to the ground.” (Luke 22:44)

Secular or logical thought might cause one to think that Jesus’ suffering for a few hours in a remote garden could not possibly relate to paying the price of justice for the sins of all those who would repent, but those who have turned their hearts to Jesus Christ find that He does indeed lift and carry our burdens and the weight of our sins, so that we might find forgiveness and redemption.

Just as I am sure that perhaps some unseen, angelic hands were steadying me on those stairs those years ago, Christ too had angelic support and companionship, although he was left to carry the weight and the burden all of Himself (Luke 22:43).

by Yongsung Kim

My father unfortunately was in a position where he was unable to help me hold the load, but his loving eyes never left me, and his imploring call of encouragement to “just hold on a little longer” until the ordeal was over, might perhaps resemble in some small manner, a loving Heavenly Father who withdrew His presence temporarily, so that the glory might go to His Beloved Son and the atonement completed properly.  But I am sure the Father’s loving gaze never left His son during His moments of terrible trial, while the ultimate price was paid for all humankind.

So whatever trial or challenge you may be feeling the crushing weight of in your life, just hold on a little longer.  Stay faithful and true and trust that the Lord will uphold you and lift the burden once the purpose of it has been completed.  And even if you cannot see an end in sight, we can trust that the Lord is fully aware of the suffering we experience, and there will come a blessed day, when “God shall wipe away all tears from (our) eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain; for the former things are passed away.” (Revelations 21:4)