LONGING

 

I long to be where I once was,

A child in my eternal home.

I long to see the God of love

And with Him walk the heaven’s floor.

The most endearing thing that Alma said about his miraculous conversion was this: “……I saw, even as our father Lehi saw, God sitting upon his throne, surrounded with numberless concourses of angels, in the attitude of singing and praising their God; yea,  AND MY SOUL DID LONG TO BE THERE” (Alma 36:22).

I often think that it’s just as well we cannot remember our Father in Heaven vividly else we would not be able to endure being here in this dismal world of sorrow and pain and wickedness. My mind reverts to the rebellious Cain who was pained at the very thought of not seeing God’s face again when he was banished from His presence. I can just hear the desperation in these words: “….from thy face shall I be hid…..my punishment is greater than I can bear” (Genesis 4:13,14).

I am certain that Alma’s conversion had such a strong bearing on him because of his godly suffering for his sins but I am also certain that longing to be in God’s presence was a great motivator for the rest of his life. His drive to cry repentance to others so they can be spared of suffering for their sins was no doubt aided also by his desire to bring them back into God’s embrace else why would he have  exclaimed: “O that I were an angel, and could have the wish of mine heart, that I might go forth and speak with the trump of God, with a voice to shake the earth, and cry repentance unto every people!” (Alma 29:1).

The longing can be ours for the taking if we draw ever closer to the Father and His Beloved Son as we live the Gospel and are recipients of His spirit on daily basis. The closer we draw to Him, the greater the frequency of enjoying His spirit which will make Him a reality we will long for. May we not be found saying on Judgment Day: from thy face shall I be hid, my punishment is greater than I can bear…..

- CATHRYNE ALLEN 

(Art: He Lifts Me Up by Danny Hahlbohm)