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.
